Black Rose
by Lady S
Summary: A civilian agent come to the attention of IFF bringing back past pain and forgotten hope to Lee’s life. COMPLETE
1. Legal Jargon

Title: Black Rose  
  
Author: Lady S  
  
Summary: A civilian agent come to the attention of IFF bringing back past pain and forgotten hope to Lee's life.  
  
Rating: PG-13 (mild swearing)  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing other than the absurd plot idea I couldn't get out of my head.  
  
Author's Notes: I hope you enjoy this. I haven't written SMK in a long time but I had this idea I just couldn't seem to get rid of so I figured I'd better go ahead and write it down. Enjoy! 


	2. Chapter One

Black Rose  
  
Chapter One  
  
Standing at the top of the stairs, coffee mug in hand, Lee called up to the two sleepers. "Lets go boys, you're gonna be late for school if you don't get down here!"  
  
Turning back toward the kitchen he took an appreciative sip of his coffee and reached for the paper Dotty had left him on the counter before heading out to the garden to get an early start on her flowerbeds. He had to smile. She couldn't understand why the flowers that had seemed to be doing so poorly under the kitchen window for years suddenly had sprung to life in the last three years.  
  
Three years.  
  
Shaking his head he took another sip and listened to the scuffle from above over first dibs on the shower. Knowing he should go up there and break it up Lee decided to let them duke it out between themselves. Besides the last time he'd tried to break up the sibling squabbles he'd ended up limping the rest of the day. Suddenly he heard the loud thud of the bathroom door slamming and wondered who had won.  
  
"Hey," Jamie said as he entered the kitchen, hunting for some breakfast. "Where's Grandma?"  
  
"Outside in the garden," Lee answered. "She had to get away from the noise."  
  
He ducked his head sheepishly as he poured the milk into his cereal. "Sorry about that."  
  
Hiding his smile behind his coffee mug Lee watched his son settle down at the table with his food. Taking the paper with him Lee joined Jamie and the two sat in silence as they went through their morning routine until Philip came running down the stairs.  
  
"Showers all yours dorkbreath," he announced, grabbing the cereal and milk for himself.  
  
"Philip Alexander King," Lee admonished, glancing up from his paper.  
  
Getting up Jamie took his bowl to the sink and hurried upstairs, ignoring his brother for now. Taking his chair Philip added sugar to his bowl and replied, "Man, at least Mom kept it to our first and last name. Why do you always have to throw in the middle one?"  
  
"To be annoying," Lee responded flippantly, trying desperately to ignore the icy fist that had suddenly clenched itself over his heart at the mention of Amanda.  
  
Philip grinned. "You're still coming to the game tonight, right?"  
  
"I'll be there," Lee promised. "I'm not going to miss the State Finals when my boy is on the starting team. Jamie's covering it for the school paper, so he'll be there too. We can all go out and celebrate afterwards."  
  
Nodding his agreement Philip hurried up to finish his breakfast and then ran back upstairs to gather his books. A few minutes later Lee heard them both hurry down the stairs and out the door. He heard the car start up and winced at the squeal of the tires as Philip drove out of the driveway. With a sigh he put his mug in the sink and headed upstairs to get ready for work. Dressed and ready to go he stopped to say goodbye to Dotty and climbed into his corvette.  
  
Once he had settled himself into his desk Lee turned on his computer and waited for it to boot up. Looking at the picture on his desk he smiled softly at the woman smiling back at him. "Good morning, sweetheart," he said. "Tonight's the big game, Philip's really excited."  
  
"Mr. Stetson?"  
  
Looking up to the doorway he saw his secretary walking in, the woman used to his talking to the picture after working for him for over two years.  
  
"Yes, Ann?"  
  
"There are a few urgent messages for you. It seems that Ms Desmond has gotten herself in a bind and won't be able to handle the meeting today with that civilian group leader. She asked you to take it for her."  
  
Lee frowned. "All right, what else?"  
  
"Mr. Melrose called, he needs to meet with you this morning before he leaves for the summit in Germany. He says it's very important."  
  
"It always is," he muttered. "Anything else?"  
  
"Jamie's principal called. Apparently he's skipped school again yesterday."  
  
He couldn't help but shake his head. "All right, I'll take care of it."  
  
Leaving the messages on his desk she reminded him about his ten o'clock appointment and left him to his work.  
  
"What are we gonna do about that kid, Manda?" he muttered under his breath.  
  
SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK  
  
Sipping his third cup of coffee Lee headed toward the elevator, pressing the button to go down to the next level. Knocking quickly on the door he opened it and slipped inside, waiting for Billy to finish his phone call. With a small sigh he sank down into the chair, relishing the relative quiet after the headache of a morning meeting he'd just suffered through. Next time he was going to make Francine do it.  
  
"Morning Lee," Billy said when he'd hung up the phone. "You certainly took your time getting here," he said, pointedly looking at the clock on the wall.  
  
"Unavoidable," Lee answered. "The meeting went longer than anticipated."  
  
Billy nodded. "That is one meeting I do not miss in the least." Lee glared at him. "Well I got you here for a reason. You have a meeting today with a civilian agency group, right?" Lee nodded. "I need to sit in on it with you. Apparently they did a big favor for one of the senators and he is putting pressure on us to help them out in whatever way we can."  
  
"Any idea what they want?"  
  
"No," he shook his head. "Their security is tighter than ours. All I know is that we are supposed to meet at a neutral place, some suite in the Hyatt. There was a brief mention of needing our help for one of their agents but that was it."  
  
"How did these people end up in business?"  
  
"They're not bound by the laws we are. As a civilian agency they can travel under the radar and get into places we can't. For what they do they're very good."  
  
"And exactly what do they do?"  
  
"Rescues, takedowns, kidnappings, all the things we do here."  
  
"Interesting."  
  
"My thoughts exactly. There may come a time when we can use them to help us out when we run into problems."  
  
"So we're going to help grease some wheels and play nice," Lee surmised.  
  
"You got it."  
  
"Feel like grabbing some lunch before we go?"  
  
"Sounds good, I'll come and get you when I'm done here."  
  
Nodding, Lee stood up and headed back to his office in the bullpen. It had felt odd to him after he had moved into Billy's office but sitting with him in what used to be Dr Smyth's office had been downright unnerving. Thankfully they had both made the offices their own rather quickly and the uneasy feelings had left. Back in his own office Lee picked up the phone and dialed an extension.  
  
"Media relations," the man on the other end answered.  
  
"Jenkins, it's Stetson," Lee began, not bothering with formalities. "I need to know if Jamie King had been sent on a mission at all in the last week."  
  
"One moment, Sir, let me check." Silence filled the line for a moment before the head of surveillance came back. "Yes sir, he was sent out yesterday to the college campus."  
  
Lee nodded. "Okay, thanks." Hanging up the phone he dialed an outside line before dialing yet another number. "Yes this is Lee Stetson, Jamie King's father. I got a message to call the principal."  
  
Asked to hold for one moment Lee strummed his fingers on his desk until the line was picked up again. "Mr. Stetson, this is Mr. Kelly, Jamie's principal. Thank you for returning my call."  
  
"Not a problem. What did you need?"  
  
"I'm afraid I needed to let you know that Jaime skipped all of his classes yesterday. Normally I would handle this myself but he told me he'd done so with your permission."  
  
"He's right," Lee replied. "I'm afraid I completely forgot to call you and let you know. Jaime had an appointment on campus yesterday. I told him it would be okay to spend the whole day there since it was smack in the middle of the day."  
  
"I see. Mr. Stetson, after looking over Jamie's records I must admit I'm seeing some trends in his absences that I don't believe are going to help him out when he starts applying to colleges. In the last two years he's had an average of three or four absences each quarter. So far he's managed to avoid getting into any serious trouble and as he is an excellent student his grades haven't suffered any ill effects but I feel it only fair to warn you this many absences will not reflect well on his transcripts when he applies to college."  
  
"Thank you for letting me know this, I'll be sure to have a talk with Jamie about it. However all of these absences have been validated, am I correct? None of them are marked as skips are they?"  
  
"Well no, but..."  
  
"Then I don't foresee him having anything to worry about. Thank you for the call, Mr. Kelly, I do appreciate it and as I said, I'll be sure to talk to Jamie about it. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm afraid I really do need to get back to work."  
  
SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK  
  
Sitting in the corner of Nedlingers Lee and Billy smiled as the waitress approached with their food. Thanking her Lee picked up his fork and speared a bite of potato before returning to their conversation.  
  
"I still can't believe she went through with it."  
  
Billy grinned. "He's been persistent, I'll give him that."  
  
"Yeah, but Francine has always been so bad to him, she swore up and down she would never go out with him."  
  
"I guess the fact that he saved her life opened her eyes to the possibility."  
  
"Francine and Beaman on a date." Lee shook his head. "I never thought I'd see the day."  
  
Both men chuckled. "There's been a rumor floating around the office that has me a little worried, Lee," Billy said after some time.  
  
"Oh yeah?" he replied vaguely. He knew full well what the rumor was and Lee didn't want to address it.  
  
Billy glared at him lightly. "You know full well what I'm talking about."  
  
Sighing he leaned back in his chair, his appetite gone. "Yeah, I know, Billy."  
  
"Is it true?"  
  
"What if it is?"  
  
"Lee, you know as well as I do that the agents look to their section chief for leadership and strength. Talking to her is not going to inspire them to follow your lead."  
  
"I know."  
  
"You've got to stop doing it at the office."  
  
Lee shook his head. "I can't Billy. It's all I have left of her."  
  
"What are you talking about? Lee you've got two great boys and a mother in law that loves you. You have her family, son."  
  
"I know that Billy, and I love each and everyone of them, but they're not Amanda. We shared something that they can never understand. With all the times we got through scrapes together, we shared a bond that I will never have again. It helps me, Billy. It helps to know that I can still talk to her, still keep her with me, even thought she's no longer here."  
  
Listening to his friend Billy noticed he never really said the word. He'd never had; not then, and still to this day he refused to say it. Dead. Amanda was dead. "Lee." He didn't know what to say.  
  
"I know, Billy."  
  
Closing his eyes for a moment he could still see it in his mind. He could still see the bright flash that had knocked them all off their feet. Smoke had billowed out through the shattered windows, fire licking at the wooden planks of the old warehouse. They had been able to feel the heat of the fire from fifty feet away. No one could have survived. Lee had been on the outside of the warehouse, updating the local office on the situation; Amanda had still been inside working with the bomb squad to deactivate the bomb.  
  
There had been plenty of time left on the clock.  
  
"Plenty of time," Lee whispered to himself.  
  
Hearing his whisper, seeing the pain in his face Billy knew he had to change the subject. Lee had been able to recover with the help of Amanda's family, his family, but there were times, too many for his liking, when they would lose him to the memories of that awful night.  
  
"Well we'd better get going. We still have to get to that meeting."  
  
Nodding Lee stood and threw some money down onto the table. It was time to get back to work.  
  
SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK  
  
"You've got to be kidding me."  
  
"I'm afraid not Billy."  
  
Shaking his head he followed Lee through the lobby toward the elevator of the hotel. "Why?" he asked as the doors shut.  
  
"He said they needed to meet someplace neutral. I guess one of their agents is on a mission. They had arranged to check in here so he thought we could to the meet here as well."  
  
"Makes sense I guess."  
  
Exiting the elevator they looked for the door numbers until they found the one they wanted. Knocking once and then three times they waited. Lee could hear some movement from within the suite and after a moment the door cracked open, a man peering out at them from the other side.  
  
"We didn't order room service."  
  
"But the pot roast is the hotel specialty, sir," Billy said, finishing the recognition code.  
  
The door shut and they could hear the movement of the chain from within. Seconds later the door opened fully, allowing them to enter the suite. "Come on in," the man invited, motioning for them to enter. Shutting the door behind them he turned to face the men after he had re-secured the door. "You must be Scarecrow and Lancer," he smiled, holding out his hands to shake them.  
  
"Are you Winter?"  
  
The man smiled. "That'd be me. Have a seat, can I get you a drink?"  
  
Both shook their head. "No thanks, we'd rather get down to business."  
  
Winter nodded. "Understandable. I must say," he continued as he sat down across from them. "I was pretty surprised when Queen agreed to arrange a meeting. She's been anti-government for so long we were sure it would never happen. But I guess it's not surprising, given how much she like BR."  
  
"Who are you talking about?" Lee asked. "Who is Queen?"  
  
"She's the leader of our little group. Queen keeps us running, gets our missions, keeps us alive."  
  
"What's her real name?" Billy wondered.  
  
"No one knows. We all go by our code names within the group."  
  
"Yours is Winter?"  
  
"Yep," he nodded. "I was found in Antarctica, I helped Queen get out of the country without getting caught and she gave me a job. That's how most of us have joined our family. We kind of just stumbled into it."  
  
The happy go lucky air about this man made Lee wonder if he was an agent or a secretary of some sort. If he were an agent Lee couldn't help but wonder how he had managed to live as long as he had in his line of work. Looking around the room something caught his attention from the corner of his eye.  
  
"Who else is here?" Lee motioned toward the mirror reflection of a bra hung over the curtain rod in the bathroom.  
  
"Just BR. She's checking in from her mission. She won't be joining the discussion today."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Winter point behind him. Looking through the open doorway to the bedroom part of the suite they could see a lump under the covers of the bed.  
  
"Sleeping. The poor kid's exhausted. Her mission has been running for about a week now and she's had no time to sleep or eat," he replied, nodding towards the half empty tray of food on the table. "She's here but we'll be leaving her alone for now."  
  
Sympathizing with her Lee turned his full attention to their host. "Why did you want this meet?"  
  
The jovial man suddenly grew serious and Lee understood the answer to his previous questions. It was as though he were staring at a completely different man.  
  
"We were hoping we might work out some sort of an arrangement with your agency."  
  
"What kind of an arrangement?" Billy interjected.  
  
"A trade. We would be willing to help you out on some of your cases, the more sensitive ones where it might help to have a civilian doing the work instead of a federal agent."  
  
"In exchange for?" Lee drew out, waiting for the other shoe to drop.  
  
"One of our agents needs your help," he said leaning back in his chair and reaching for a cup of coffee. "At the moment I'm not able to say who or why. I am at liberty to tell you that she is the best agent we've got and we sure as hell don't want to lose her. She is the one who led us in your direction and convinced Queen to let us find out who you are."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Winter shook his head. "As I said, all I can say is that we need your help."  
  
"When will we get more details?"  
  
"After you agree to the arrangement."  
  
"You're not really giving us a lot to work with here," Lee frowned.  
  
"I know and I'm sorry. I gotta follow the rules too you know." Glancing at the bedroom he lowered his voice a little. "Look, off the record, you'll be helping out one of the best agents we've got. Black Rose is the best our little team has ever had. She rivals even you, Scarecrow. If you can help her we'd all owe you a big debt. We would all be willing to do any assignment you need us to if you can get her what she needs."  
  
"What does she need?"  
  
Pausing for a moment he shook his head, apologizing. "I can't release that. She'd have my head."  
  
SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK  
  
Sitting in the benches Lee cheered with the rest of the crowd when their team scored a free throw. Watching Philip standing off to the side waiting with the rest of the players Lee smiled encouragingly when the young man met his gaze. Smiling quickly he turned his focus back to the game at hand. Letting his gaze drift to his other son Lee saw Jamie standing on the sidelines, catching a shot of the ball as it hovered over the hoop before sinking in.  
  
Pride filled him as he watched his sons. 'You'd be so proud of them, Amanda," he thought to himself.  
  
"Yes, she would."  
  
Glancing down at the older woman who sat next to hi Lee realized he had spoken out loud. Maybe Billy was right, maybe he did need to watch himself.  
  
"Don't looked so shocked, Lee," Dotty smiled at him. "We hear you all the time. I think its sweet that you still talk to her. Goodness only knows I still find myself talking to my husband every now and then."  
  
"Does it bother the boys?" he wondered.  
  
"A little, in the beginning. But I think it helped them to realize how much you loved her, and them."  
  
Before Lee could answer his pager went off, vibrating against his hip. Excusing himself he hurried down the bleachers and out into the hallway. Finding a phone he dialed a familiar number. "Scarecrow here. The gold stars shine brightly in the midnight sky," he said, giving his recognition code for the day. "What's going on?"  
  
"Mr. Stetson we just received a call from Ms Desmond. It seems that they've got Addi Birol cornered in a warehouse but they are requesting back up."  
  
"Birol!" Lee cried in shock. Seeing the curious glances from the passerby he lowered his voice. "Send three back up teams and tell Francine I'll meet her at the warehouse. I want Birol captured, dead or alive, is that understood?"  
  
"Yes sir!" the young agent replied.  
  
Hanging up the phone Lee hurried back into the gym, staying only long enough to let Jamie know he was leaving and to keep an eye on Philip and Dotty. Nodding he promised he would, the young man understanding why Lee sometimes left in the middle of everything. As a civilian photographer for the agency he had a better understanding of Lee's work than Dotty or Philip did.  
  
Silently wishing Philip well with the rest of his game Lee ran out of the building to his car and left, getting out of the parking lot as fast as he could. Once on the road he called in again to verify the location of the warehouse before speeding his way there as fast as he could. Birol's face hovered before him, the laughter he had heard when he'd told them about the bomb and how he had been the one responsible for it. That was when Lee knew that Birol was going to die. Whether it was by his own hands or the hands of someone under him the bastard was going to pay for killing Amanda.  
  
Pulling the car to a stop he got out only to see the agency van surrounded by a group of people, some he knew and others he didn't.  
  
"What's going on here people?"  
  
Turning around Francine was about to reply when another car came pulling up quickly. Getting out Winter hurried over to the group, passing by Lee and Francine and going over to one of the men Lee didn't know.  
  
"What's happening?"  
  
"These Fed.'s came in here and tried to rush the building. If we hadn't stopped them they could have gotten everyone killed!"  
  
"Winter?" Lee called out, catching the man attention. "What are your people doing here?"  
  
"We've got a man on the inside, we're waiting for her signal before helping her capture the terrorists. You are more than welcome to help but you have to wait for her signal!"  
  
"How long until..."  
  
Holding up a hand for him to stop Winter put his other hand to his ear, pressing on a hidden earpiece to hear more clearly. "There it is people, lets move!" he cried.  
  
Immediately the three men Lee didn't know sprang into action, running towards the building. "Move!" he commanded, ordering the others to follow. Getting a radio he put the earpiece in his ear and listened as the updates were called out. He could hear shots and the thuds of bodies as they fell, wondering who had been hurt, his people, theirs, or Addi's. Soon the all clear was given and both he and Francine moved forward toward the building.  
  
"We need medics, sir!" one of the agents called out as they helped their partner out of the door. Laying out his friend the young man turned and headed back indoors to help someone else.  
  
"Call the ambulances," Lee ordered, sensing Francine nod before turning away to make the call. Lee saw Winter come out, his three men behind him, none of them hurt, and he couldn't help the glimmer of respect that rose in his mind. "What happened?"  
  
"Our girl came through, but if I were you I wouldn't get to close. She's pretty mad."  
  
"Lee the ambulance is on its way," Francine announced as she returned to his side. "Who are these people?"  
  
"Ma'am," Winter nodded, introducing himself. "This is Magic, Fiddle, and Boxer. Black Rose is wrapping up a few things inside, but she should be out soon."  
  
"Why is she mad? Everything went fine."  
  
"Well..." Winter drew out his word. "It seems that your people killed a man she had wanted left alive for questioning."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Addi Birol!" a woman yelled as she approached them, her voice filled with anger though muffled by the mask she was wearing.  
  
Looking up they watched as a woman stormed towards them. Stopping next to her teammates she began to strip off her guns and weapons, handing them to the men that stood with her.  
  
"I thought I had been very clear. Addi Birol was to be captured alive!"  
  
"You were, BR, but we didn't anticipate the fed.'s showing up," Winter tried to reason with her.  
  
"Why are the fed.'s involved in the first place?" she demanded. "This was our mission."  
  
"We're here because Birol was a threat to our nation," Lee interjected. "And just who are you?"  
  
The last weapon handed off she reached up to take off her ski mask, the hood pulling her hair with it, long auburn locks falling back to her shoulders as she shook her head with relief that the heavy wool was finally off. With a grateful sigh she ran a hand through her hair before looking back up at the men before her.  
  
"My name is Black Rose."  
  
Lee felt himself sway on his feet, sure that he was seeing things, certain his dreams had become hallucinations. He watched as she frowned at him, raising one eyebrow in question of his sudden paleness.  
  
"Is he okay?" she asked the woman standing next to him only to find the same reaction on her face. "What is their problem?" she asked, turning to look at Winter.  
  
He shrugged. "I'm not sure. Scarecrow?"  
  
"He's the Scarecrow?" she asked in disbelief, looking back at the visibly shaking man. Seeing the pain in his eyes and the trembling in his hands her frown deepened. "Hey, are you okay?"  
  
Swallowing Lee stared at her, his eyes wide and burning. He opened his mouth to speak but nothing could come out, he couldn't form the words to explain what was running through his mind.  
  
Another agent came up to them and stopped still in shock. "Mrs. King!" he cried. "Holy shit!"  
  
All around them the movement stopped as agents heard his cry. Each one looked toward the woman that had stormed out of the warehouse in all black, the sudden realization of who she was hitting each and every one of them when they saw their leader staring at her in dead silence.  
  
Amanda King was alive.  
  
SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK 


	3. Chapter Two

Chapter Two  
  
Standing under the hot spray of the shower she let the steaming water flow over her, letting it seep into her tired and sore muscles. She'd had a few hours of sleep yesterday but it wasn't enough to make up for the lack of sleep during the past two weeks. Leaning her head against the cold tile she closed her eyes, trying desperately to stay awake. Feeling herself loosing the battle she reached out blindly and shut off the hot water, letting the cold water shock her into wakefulness.  
  
Sputtering and shaking she turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. The agency had given her a change of clothes, her other ones splattered with blood from the dying Birol. Toweling off she remembered holding him in her hands, trying to make him tell her why and how he seemed to know who she was. His death had come far too quickly for her to get the information she needed from him.  
  
That was the hardest part of her life. No knowing anything beyond the last three years. She had questions that no one was able to answer, dreams she couldn't explain, feelings that haunted her every second of the day. And now, when she was finally getting settled into a life she had built for herself, she heard the shock of recognition in the voices, seen it in the faces, of the people she was only just meeting.  
  
One face in particular stuck out in her mind. The leader of this federal agency, his wide hazel eyes filled with pain, hope despair and joy all at the same time. Those eyes had frightened her, yet at the same time she had felt strangely comforted by them. Like the shock of a thunderous boom while harbored in the safety of a warm cabin. In those eyes, she somehow knew, she had nothing to fear.  
  
The questions still seemed to overwhelm her and despite her attempts not to remember his whispered plea still rang in her ears.  
  
'Amanda.'  
  
It had been so many things in that one word. A prayer, a plea for something, she didn't quite know what. His voice had washed over her like a warm breeze on a cool day, comforting, soothing her raw nerves. She had wanted to stay, wanted to hear him speak again, but Winter had seen the blood on her temple and had pulled her away to be taken care of by one of the medical technicians.  
  
Now, clean and dressed, it was her stomach that was speaking to her, demanding to be fed some real food. Trying to ignore it she opened the door to the locker room and saw the guards standing there. Letting them lead her through the hallways she examined the building around her as she walked. When they came to a large open room filled with desks they led her off to the one side and knocked on the wooden door. After hearing the 'Come in' from within the room one guard opened the door and motioned for her to go inside.  
  
SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK  
  
Sitting behind his desk Lee didn't bother to look up as the door opened. Francine came in, Winter following behind her, and took a seat across the desk. Billy sat on the couch in the corner, the silence filling the room. He knew they were waiting for him to say something, do something, but he didn't. He couldn't. His eyes were glued to the picture in his hands, the picture of a woman he had lost three years ago.  
  
His wife.  
  
Amanda Stetson.  
  
Blackrose.  
  
Closing his eyes he saw her again, her brown hair wild from being stuck under a ski mask. Her left eyelid drooped a little, why he could only imagine. There was a scar that ran from the bottom of her ear to the base of her jaw. Had it been his imagination or had her lips seemed a little thinner than before? Opening his eyes he looked at the picture and realized that they weren't thinner, she had been compressing them together making them look thinner. It was an old habit he recognized from their time as partners.  
  
"Lee?"  
  
Looking up at Francine he saw her gesture to her eyes and only then did he realize he was crying. Swiping away the water he shook himself, pulling himself together before facing Winter. "I want to know everything you can tell me about Blackrose. Don't leave a single detail out."  
  
Nodding the man thought back to the first time he had seen her.  
  
"She was working in a small café in France when we first met her. She spoke the language but she didn't have the accent quite right. That was how we knew she wasn't French. We were there on a mission but it went south fast. We would have ended up dead if it hadn't been for BR.  
  
SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK ... FLASHBACK ... SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK  
  
Standing behind the counter she poured three cups of coffee for the men that had just come in. Putting the cups on a tray with the cream and sugar she carried it over to their table in the corner. They seemed nervous but she ignored it, they were obviously tourists. Two more men came in and she directed them to a table in the middle of the room but they chose to sit directly opposite the table of three. Standing behind the counter once more she watched the five men while she worked on preparing another pot of coffee.  
  
Before they made a move she seemed to sense that something was going to go badly and she ducked low, the coffeepot shattering above her. Resisting the urge to scream she hurried back into the storeroom. Three of the men, the three that had seemed nervous, suddenly appeared behind her, one keeping an eye out the door, firing his gun now and then at the other two still in the café. Asking for her help in perfect French the men asked her for the keys to her car.  
  
Staring at them for a moment she suddenly grabbed her purse and motioned for them to follow her. Out the back door into the alleyway she started to turn left but stopped when she saw another man waiting at the end of the alley. To the right was a high brick wall but there were several holes they could use as foot and hand holds to get up the wall. Heading down that way, keeping out of sight as long as it was possible, she pointed up the wall and motioned for them to climb over it, setting the example by going over first.  
  
Once on the other side they slipped through various alleyways until the men were lost, hoping that this woman leading them knew where she was going. After some time they came to a small building. Pulling a key out of her pocket she unlocked the door and they hurried inside. Up a long flight of narrow stairs to the third floor they entered an apartment that was spartan except for a few plants along the windows. Settling down onto the only chair in the room she turned to look at the men she had helped.  
  
"Who are you?" she asked in perfect English.  
  
"We're Americans. Thanks for all the help but we can take it from here."  
  
"They'll kill you the instant you set foot on the streets."  
  
"What makes you so sure of that?"  
  
"They followed us."  
  
Peeking out the window Winter saw that the men were down in the alley, searching for an unlocked door. Swearing he searched the small apartment for another way out.  
  
"If you want to get out of here alive I suggest you tell me who you are. If I believe you, I'll help you."  
  
Glancing at the other men Winter faced her. "I'm telling you the truth. We're Americans. We came here looking for some information that had been stolen from our government. We found it and took it and those men want it back at any cost."  
  
She watched him for a moment in silence. When he was sure she wasn't going to say a word she stood up from her chair. Disappearing into the bedroom for a moment she came back out with a rucksack swung over her shoulder.  
  
"Lets go."  
  
SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK ... PRESENT ... SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK  
  
"She got us out of the country and Queen recruited her as a result. She named her Blackrose because she's beautiful but mysterious and sad. Somehow BR seems to know exactly what to do with little or no training. No one can explain it, least of all her."  
  
"Why?" Lee asked. Before he could get an answer there was a knock on the door. "Come in," he called out, irritated at the interruption.  
  
The door opened and he could see one of the guards motioning for someone to enter the office. "This way, ma'am."  
  
"Thanks," he heard her say as she entered the room.  
  
Blackrose scanned the room quickly, a habit that was second nature to her, before choosing a seat on the couch next to Billy. Sitting on one of her legs she pushed herself into the corner to better face Lee.  
  
"So, who's gonna tell me why my mission came so very close to being completely messed up?" she asked, her tone conveying the underlying anger she still felt.  
  
"BR, listen to me for a second. I had a chance to talk to Queen while you were gone. She understands why you wanted Birol alive but it's better that he's dead than escaped again."  
  
"I'm not arguing that, Winter," she replied, turning to look at her friend. "But he died before I had a chance to get what I needed. Now I have nowhere to turn. Birol was my only link."  
  
Winter smiled and shook his head. "Not anymore. Remember back in the hospital when you told us to start looking for something called IFF?" She nodded. "Well we found it."  
  
"You what?" she whispered, her eyes wide. "IFF really exists?"  
  
"Yep," he nodded, his smile widening.  
  
"What were you doing in the hospital?" Lee asked quickly.  
  
Seeing that BR was still trying to absorb that they had found IFF Winter answered for her. "She was recuperating. Birol had tortured her for information."  
  
"What kind of torture?" Billy wondered.  
  
"The usual stuff. Beatings, drugs. Then he switched to electric shock therapy. Birol said he refused to believe that I couldn't remember the answers he wanted."  
  
Her voice was soft, void of any emotion, but they could tell the pain was still boiling underneath the surface. Watching her carefully Lee could see that she was close to a breaking point, the exhaustion, stress, and hunger taking their toll both physically and emotionally.  
  
"It's been a long day," he said suddenly. "Why don't we all get some sleep tonight and we can talk again in the morning. Winter, you and Aman... Blackrose will be put up in a guestroom here in the agency. I'm afraid it's the best we've got. Francine will show you the way."  
  
When they had left, Billy and Lee alone again the room fell silent. Lee found himself staring at the place where she had been sitting, unable to tear his eyes away. Millions of thoughts ran through his mind but it all boiled down to the same thing.  
  
"She's alive."  
  
Billy watched Lee carefully. The man had been in tears earlier but now he looked ready to pass out. "Listen to me son," he said after a moment. "Go home, get some rest. We'll figure this out in the morning but you need to be rested to do so."  
  
"Billy..."  
  
"I know, Lee," he said, putting a gentle hand on his shoulder. "I know."  
  
Nodding, unable to think of an excuse not to leave, Lee stood and gathered his jacket. Making his way out to the garage he walked in a daze, not realizing he had driven all the way home until he turned off the car in the driveway. Numbly he climbed out of the car and headed up the walk to the front door, letting himself in to the dark house. Shutting the door behind him he took a few steps into the living room and stopped still.  
  
Being in the house he had come to think of as his own Lee was suddenly assaulted by the memories of the woman that had lived here before. He could still see her standing at the sink washing the dishes, jumping at the suddenness of his appearance in the window. The couch where they had shared so many meals still held an invisible impression of her body on the cushion. In the air he could smell her perfume though it was already long gone, the scent nothing more than a distant memory.  
  
The memories overwhelmed him and Lee stumbled toward the couch, falling to his knees as he reached the cushions, unable to go any farther. "Amanda," he cried, tears filling his eyes again as they had in his office. "Thank you God!"  
  
"Lee?" Dotty called as she inched down the stairs. Seeing him kneeling in tears by the couch she hurried to his side. "Lee! What's wrong?"  
  
Trying to pull himself together Lee looked up into the eyes of his mother in law and knew he couldn't keep this information from her. "Dotty," he started, his voice thick with tears. "Amanda!"  
  
"Oh Lee," she soothed, brushing his hair out of his eyes. "I know you miss her darling. We all do. But she's still in your heart and you have to believe..."  
  
"No!" he interrupted her. "You don't understand!"  
  
"Lee, I do understand! I lost my husband and my daughter."  
  
"Dotty, listen to me!" Lee cried, his voice getting louder, tears still streaming from his eyes. "Amanda is alive!"  
  
"What?" she said, shaking her head with a frown. "Lee what are you talking about? What kind of sick joke is this?"  
  
"It's no joke, Dotty! Amanda is alive, I saw her, she's at the agency right now!"  
  
Backing away from him she stared at her son in law with confused eyes. Shaking her head she turned away, "That's not possible. You told us no one could have survived that fire!"  
  
"No one could have but somehow Amanda did! Dotty why would I lie about this? Amanda's... she's alive!"  
  
"You're sure?" she asked breathlessly, gripping the counter of the island to keep from falling over. Tears began to form in he eyes when Lee nodded. "My Panda is alive!"  
  
"Lee?"  
  
Turning around Lee saw two sleepy teenagers standing at the base of the stairs. Both were looking at him with confusion in their sleepy eyes. Taking a deep breath Lee motioned for them to come closer. Motioning for everyone to gather around the dining room table Lee waited until they were all seated to begin speaking.  
  
"You guys know I can't give you a lot of details about my line of work. But this is something I can't keep to myself. I can't answer a lot of questions simply because I don't have the answers yet. But I promise as soon as I have answers that I can give to you I will let you know."  
  
"Lee," Philip interrupted. "Grandma's crying, you're crying; just tell us what's going on."  
  
Nodding, "Right. Okay here goes. Today when I was called away from the game I met up with some agents from a different type of agency. Same purpose but different bosses. One of the people working for this agency was a woman code-named Blackrose. Guys..." Lee took a deep breath, barely able to believe it himself. "It was your mom."  
  
Both boys stared at him blankly.  
  
"Amanda's alive."  
  
Taking a deep breath it was Jamie that spoke first. "Where is she Lee?"  
  
"She's at the agency."  
  
"Why didn't she come home?" Philip demanded, hurt that his mother was alive but hadn't tried to reach them.  
  
"Guys, we're fairly certain that she has amnesia. She doesn't know that she's Amanda Stetson. She can't remember me or you or anyone that she loved."  
  
"What happened Lee?" Jamie asked. "How did she make it out alive?" Jamie had read the file, he knew what had happened that night.  
  
"We don't know yet." Pausing for a moment, seeing the tears in their eyes, knowing he had his own, Lee tried to phrase his next words carefully. "We're going to try and help her to remember who she is, but there's a big chance we won't be able to. Amnesia is a tricky thing and after three years it gets even trickier to try and cure."  
  
"But she's alive and she's healthy, right?" Lee nodded. Trying desperately to get his trembling chin under control Philip looked at Lee. "And you'll tell us what's going on?"  
  
"I'll make sure you know as much as I'm allowed to tell you," he said, not wanting to lie to them. "It's going to be rough, guys, but we can make it through if we stick together."  
  
Both boys nodded. Knowing they would never get back to sleep Lee told them to go back to bed, they both had work tomorrow. Hugging each of them he sent them off to their room before turning his attention to Dotty. "You haven't said much."  
  
The older woman tried to smile. "What is there to say." Getting to her feet she gathered her robe around her and hugged her son in law, kissing his cheek. "No matter what happens, Lee, keep her safe okay?"  
  
"I will Dotty," he swore, kissing her cheek and hugging her tightly. "I swear I will."  
  
Heading up to her room Dotty left Lee standing in the dining room gazing at the house around him. Images of Amanda still haunted the rooms but this time there was a ray of hope shining in on them and for the first time in three years Lee began to feel like his old self.  
  
'I'm okay you know,' he heard her tell him, watching as she turned to face him, her hands covered in suds from the dishes. 'I was a little lost but I'm on my way back now.'  
  
"I love you," he said, staring at her eyes, seeing the love that shone out from them.  
  
'I know, it's what kept me going. I'm almost there, Lee. Don't give up, I'm almost home.'  
  
The call of a bird in the window caught his attention and when Lee looked back she was gone. "I won't give up, Manda," he whispered to the empty air. "Not ever."  
  
SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK  
  
Sitting on the corner of the bed, fairly certain the mirror on the far wall was a two way, Blackrose ignored whoever might be on the other side as she changed, ready to fall into bed and sleep for an eternity. Turning out the light she slipped into the bed, pulling the covers over her and closed her eyes. Every night it was the same, and she had come to expect the dreams that came when she slept.  
  
_Blank faces sailed past her in a train station, each of them wearing a red hat and a waiter's uniform. Some tried to call out to her but she couldn't hear them, some thugs dragging them away before she could get to them. Up ahead, hanging from a street lamp hung a straw stuffed scarecrow, a gun in its hand. Its eyes seemed to stare at her no matter where she was. Normally she tried to ignore it but tonight she moved towards the hanging straw, a low whispering seemed to be coming from it.  
  
'I need my heart,' she heard. 'Please give me back my heart.'  
  
Running away from it she ran as far and fast as she could only to stop suddenly when she found herself back in that little café in France from so long ago. She could see Winter, Dad, and Skater sitting at the table and she knew she had to help them. They would die if she didn't help them. So she helped them but as they were climbing over the wall Blackrose stopped and looked behind her, something in the alleyway calling to her. Looking down she saw two little boys playing with a softball. The looked up at her and she could see tears in their eyes.  
  
'Come home!' they pleaded.  
  
They were ushered away by an older woman that glanced up at her, wagging a finger and telling her to be careful or she was going to put another hole in her sweater. Dropping to the other side of the wall she led her friends away to safety only to find themselves trapped in a warehouse, Addi Birol sending out sparks as he brushed the electrified poles together. Before she could move she was taken closer, unable to get away when he touched both poles to her.  
_  
Screaming she sat up, tossing the blanket aside as she swung her legs off the bed. Taking a few moments to catch her breath Blackrose looked up when the door opened and a man walked in carrying a tray of food. Setting it on the small table he sat down and looked at her.  
  
"My name is Dr McJohn," he began after a moment. "I understand it's been a while since you ate so I brought you some food. I hope you don't mind the delay, you seemed to need sleep most of all."  
  
"No problem," she said to him. Getting up she sat down across from him and picked up the fork. "Did I know you too?" she asked before she began to eat, her hunger making it impossible to go slowly.  
  
"Yes you did. But that's not why I'm here. I wanted to ask you about your scars. Do you remember how you got them?"  
  
Blackrose nodded. "Some of them." Seeing that he wanted information she took a few more bites before sitting back and reaching for the bottle of water. "I got this on a mission over a year ago," pointing to the scar that ran along her jaw. "It was taken care of by a doctor so there's no need to worry."  
  
"How did you get it?"  
  
"Some thug thought he could take me with a knife and I didn't see his friend standing behind me," she shrugged. "The two bullet holes in my shoulder are a little under three years old, I was shot while helping a senator get away from his assassin."  
  
"What scars do you not remember?" he asked.  
  
"The one on my chest," pointing to her heart. "The eye I remember but I don't know how it got there."  
  
"How so?"  
  
"I just woke up in the hospital, my face had been beaten along with a good part of the rest of me. How I got here I don't know, just that I was there."  
  
Nodding the doctor smiled at her. "Eat up," he advised. "When you're done I'll take you to meet up with the rest of the group in the conference room."  
  
Getting to his feet McJohn left the room. Chewing thoughtfully on a piece of chicken Blackrose looked up to the mirror that hung on the wall. Now she was certain it was a two-way mirror, there would have been more people in the room if it hadn't been.  
  
Watching her eat Lee felt as though she was staring at him, he knew she knew it was a two-way mirror. When McJohn entered the small room he turned to look at him. "Well?"  
  
"No doubt, it's amnesia. She's got a perfect clarity of events up until a few years ago. Whatever happened in that fire gave her a good enough jolt to take her memory."  
  
"It there any possibility of foul play?"  
  
The doctor thought silently for a moment. "It is possible, I can't rule that out. From the information Queen provided for us about Amanda it seems that she was brought into a hospital in Italy right near the warehouse. However she wasn't admitted until several days after the fire. From the accounts of the doctors they say she was a Jane Doe that was found unconscious in their parking lot."  
  
Settling down he shifted into clinical mode and Lee hoped he could keep up. "There is no trace of any chemicals in her body so this isn't a drug induced amnesia. As you already know its very clear that she was tortured, most likely more than once though far enough apart to conclude it wasn't by the same person. There is cellular damage indicative of the electric shock therapy she mentioned and it's fairly recent, I'd say a few weeks most likely."  
  
Jumping when they heard a loud knocking Lee looked at the two-way to see Amanda facing him. "Hey," she called out. "How about letting me out of here."  
  
He could see that she had changed into a pair of jeans and a T-shirt while they had been talking and was now pacing the small room. Nodding to Dr McJohn Lee left the room and a few moments later the doctor escorted Blackrose to the conference room where everyone had gathered.  
  
It was hard to ignore the looks of the older agents as she passed them by; no doubt they had known her, and it made her slightly uncomfortable. Glad to enter the conference room and get away from the curious eyes of the public area she sank down into the first chair available and slouched down low. Looking around she saw all the same people from before, Winter, Lancer, the woman, and Dr McJohn. It was the man at the head of the table that caught and held her attention however.  
  
Scarecrow.  
  
Her dreams came back to her in full force and she couldn't help but stare at him, wondering if there was a connection or not. Forcing herself to look away she looked down toward Winter and the man smiled at her.  
  
"You'll never guess what Queen passed on today."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Chariot's out of the hospital. She is back home again with Skirts."  
  
She smiled. "That's great. No doubt they'll be back in the field in no time."  
  
Winter's smile faltered. "Unlike you."  
  
"What?" she frowned, not likely where their conversation was heading. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"Queens taking you off the field until we get this whole thing here straightened out. She says this is more important."  
  
"No!" she cried, slamming her hand on the table. "She cannot do this to me!"  
  
"BR, you've got the chance to finally get all your answers," Winter tried to reason. "Why are you turning this down?"  
  
"Because some things are more important."  
  
"More important than knowing who you are and how in the hell you ended up in the hospital?"  
  
"Yes," she replied without hesitation. Winter glared at her. "We're talking about saving peoples lives, here winter. One person hardly measures up to the rest of the world. I can do my job with or without knowing who I am."  
  
"Would you quit that martyr crap you love to dish out?" he ordered her. "You know as well as I do that you have a background that gives you an edge out there. When you finally get your memory back who's to say you won't be able to do even more?"  
  
"And who's to say that I can do it at all?" she shot back, tired of this old argument.  
  
"I will never understand this part of you BR. One minute your spending every spare moment trying to figure out who you are and where you came from and the next you're avoiding it like the plague. Quit trying to stall and talk to this man that seems pretty eager to help you."  
  
Taking that order as his queue to jump in Lee finally spoke up. "We do want to help you," he started, waiting until she had turned to face him. "Winter's right. You have a background with us. We can help you remember what it is as well as the people that matter most to you."  
  
"What can you do?"  
  
Taking a deep breath Lee tried to steady his nerves. He didn't like what he was about to tell her but he knew they didn't have a choice. It was all they had.  
  
"There is an experimental drug that may help to restore some if not most of your memory. It's worked in the past but it's very volatile and you would need to be kept under the constant supervision of Dr McJohn."  
  
"Why?"  
  
That was a question Lee hadn't expected. "Excuse me?"  
  
"Why would you help me like this? What's in it for you?"  
  
'My wife,' Lee thought to himself. Aloud he chose his words carefully. "You are a very good friend to everybody in this room. When we thought you were dead it was a bitter and nearly impossible pill to swallow. If there is a chance that we can help you to remember who you are and how much you mean to us then it is a chance we have to take."  
  
"That's it, I have no choice in the matter?"  
  
"BR!" Winter glared.  
  
Motioning for him to be quiet Lee faced her with a directness that startled her. "The final choice is yours of course, but I will warn you that I and everyone else here will do everything in out power to convince you to at least try. We want you back."  
  
Searching his eyes she didn't have to look far to see the pain and the... her heart stopped in her chest for a few beats before starting up again. What she had seen was gone in the blink of an eye but while it had been there it had nearly overwhelmed her.  
  
Love.  
  
An intense unwavering love had filled his eyes. Deeper than any she had ever seen before. It was that love that made up her mind. She had to know. The scarecrow in her dreams, the Scarecrow sitting before her... what was the connection?  
  
Blackrose nodded her head. "All right, I'll do it."

SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK


	4. Chapter Three

Chapter Three  
  
Lee sat on the couch in his office. It was late, later than he had planned on staying, but he couldn't seem to make himself leave. How he had managed to maintain control over himself in the conference room was beyond him. Seeing her there, talking to her, hearing her voice as she talked to him and the others; he wondered if he was going to be able to stay in control of himself while they were helping her to remember.  
  
Hoping and praying that he could Lee gathered his things together and headed out. There was one thing he wanted to do before he went home for the night and rounding the corner he opened the door, keeping the light off as he entered the small room. Shutting the door behind him softly Lee leaned against the wall, watching her as she sat in the corner of the bed, a leather-bound book in her hands. Her eyes never left the page as she read and he wondered if she knew he was there or not.  
  
Suddenly, after several minutes of no movement other than to turn the page, she lifted her eyes and looked at him. Lee's breath caught in his chest and his heart stopped beating. He felt as though she were staring into his soul. Did she know? Had she remembered him? Was it possible...?  
  
"Stop watching me," she said after a moment. "I am not a prisoner."  
  
Stepping back in shock Lee's heart sank as it started beating again. Reaching out he turned the light switch to on so she could see him. "I'm sorry. I just came to make sure everything was okay," he said back.  
  
"I'm fine, thank you," she replied, waiting for him to leave. After a moment, when he didn't, she stood up from the bed and moved toward the mirror. "Who were you?"  
  
"What?" frowning with confusion.  
  
"Who were you, back when I knew you?" Blackrose repeated.  
  
He paused to think before he answered. How much should he reveal? "We were partners."  
  
"Scarecrow and Mrs. King," she nodded. "I've heard the stories." Pausing she stared at him for a moment. "I suppose I'm Mrs. King?"  
  
Lee nodded. "Yes, you are."  
  
She sighed and turned away. "I am so sick of not knowing who I am."  
  
Watching as she set her book down on the table Lee looked down and saw a picture of the cowardly lion in the forest and he frowned. She was reading The Wizard of Oz? He wanted to ask but couldn't form the words. Did she realize what his connection was to that? Did she have any clue at all?  
  
"That's why we're going to start the treatments tomorrow," he said gently. "So we can help you learn who you were."  
  
Sitting on the bed again she drew one leg up and rested her chin on her knee. The sight of her looking so forlorn made him want to go to her, hold her tightly and take her pain and confusion away. Clenching a fist by his side he ordered himself to stay where he was. After a few moments of silence she looked back up at him.  
  
"We were partners," she repeated. "Were we close?" Lee nodded, not trusting himself to say anything just yet. "I'd better turn in," she said suddenly. Getting up she pulled the covers of the bed down and reached for the light switch. "Goodnight."  
  
"Goodnight," he replied. His heart ached to kiss her soft cheek but instead he turned and left, shutting off the light behind him.  
  
SMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMK  
  
Sitting on the gurney she watched as the doctor filled a syringe with a greenish colored liquid. With a wary eye she kept watching him as he approached, injecting the liquid into her arm. Wincing at the slightly burning sensation she looked back up to him, waiting expectantly for an explanation.  
  
"It should take effect immediately," he advised. "In a few minutes you'll start to feel light headed, a little dizzy. It will pass soon and then you should start to remember things."  
  
"Everything?"  
  
He shook his head. "No. It will be sporadic. The littlest things could spark a memory. You'll need to make sure that you don't go off alone, someone should stay with you at all times for safety's sake."  
  
Sighing she nodded. "When can we begin?"  
  
"Give it about an hour to fully dissolve into your system and then we'll try nudging some memories loose." Turning he placed a small transponder on her wrist. This will monitor you. If you start to feel any pain hit this button and it will call us to you right away."  
  
Agreeing she hopped down from the gurney and began to head out of the medical lab. Walking down the hall she blinked when it began to swim before her eyes. Clutching her book tightly she focused on staying upright as she walked toward the office door not too far away. Knocking gently she waited for the "Come in" from within and opened the door. Closing it behind her she made her way to the couch and collapsed on it with a small moan.  
  
"Are you okay?" Lee asked, concerned at the paleness of her skin and the moan he had heard when she'd sat down.  
  
"Dizzy," she whispered. "Very dizzy."  
  
Lee nodded. McJohn had warned him about that. "Rest there," he said. "Don't try to move till you're feeling better."  
  
"Will do," she replied. Eye closed, leaning her head back against the cushioned arm of the couch, she stretched out on it, evening out her breathing as she concentrated on trying to keep the room from spinning. After some time, the dizziness abating, she opened her eyes and looked around. Seeing that Lee was the only other one in the room she gave him a small smile. "Feeling better."  
  
"Good. Feel up to some coffee?"  
  
"That would be great."  
  
Waiting while he went out to get a cup of coffee for her she took the cup with a small smile, inhaling the aroma appreciatively. After a few sips, the liquid too hot to drink just yet, she looked back at Lee. "What exactly do you do here?"  
  
"I'm the section chief. I run things, for lack of a better description."  
  
"And me?"  
  
"When you were still here we were field agents."  
  
She nodded, taking in the information as she blew on her coffee. "Don't let me interrupt you," she said after a moment. "Just pretend like I'm not here."  
  
"That would be impossible," Lee smiled. "It always was impossible to ignore you, no matter how hard I try."  
  
'_Stay in the car, Amanda!_'  
  
Blinking against the sudden voice in her mind she frowned. "What was that?"  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
"Nothing," shaking her head. "I was just thinking."  
  
Averting her eyes she stared into the blackness of the mug, the words ringing in her ears like a broken record. Stay in the car. Who said that to her? Why? Whoever it was they had called her Amanda. It made sense that they had called her that, it felt right to hear it. Her mind kept returning to the same question. Who was it that had said that?  
  
In the silence that filled the office Lee watched as she stared at her coffee. Something had bothered her and he wondered what it was. He knew he couldn't pry, not yet it was still too early, but he wanted desperately to know. He craved the information as much as he craved to touch her, his fingers twitching to stroke her soft brown hair. Clamping his hands together Lee tried to focus himself on the report in front of him but it was no use.  
  
"Do you want to get out of here?" he said suddenly. Lifting his gaze back to Amanda he repeated himself when he saw the questions in her eyes. "I could go for a walk."  
  
"Yeah," she agreed. "I'm feeling better and could really use some fresh air."  
  
Getting up carefully, to make sure the dizziness really was gone, she headed toward the door, going through when he motioned for her to go first. Walking back down the hallway they stood in front of the elevator and waited for it to get to their level.  
  
'_Not exactly._'  
  
Startled she glanced around. Who had said that? Frowning she tried to understand what it meant. Not exactly. Not exactly what?  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
Glancing up at Lee sharply she nodded. "I'm fine, it's just..." she shook her head in confusion. "It's nothing I can't handle."  
  
The elevator arrived and the climbed aboard, pushing the coats to the side so they had room to stand. Soon they were out in the fresh air and both breathed deeply, taking in the fresh air to try and expel what didn't belong. Motioning to a park across the way Lee led her toward it, supporting the small of her back by instinct as they crossed the street. It didn't occur to her to mind his forwardness, surprised at the feeling of content when she felt the warmth of his hand through her shirt.  
  
Side by side they walked through the park, a leisurely pace, neither one speaking. Content to simply walk in silence. As they neared a fountain she stopped and looked into it to see the coins sitting on the bottom. "Penny for your thoughts?" Lee smiled.  
  
She couldn't stop her smile in return. "Just wondering how many memories this fountain would buy me if they really were a penny."  
  
"It's been hard," he said. It wasn't a question.  
  
"Yes," she nodded. "Going through life was relatively easy when I'm able to keep active. Then, when there's nothing to do, is when it gets difficult. What are my hobbies? What did I do with my free time? I have no idea."  
  
"You must have found that you like to read," motioning for her to sit down on a nearby bench. "You seem to carry that book with you wherever you go."  
  
Looking down at the book in her hands she shrugged. "I've had this one for a while now. I picked it up after getting out of the hospital way back when."  
  
"What made you get it?" Lee asked.  
  
"I'm not sure. I was walking in the mall and saw an antique bookshop. I went in and found this on a back shelf. It seemed interesting so I got it. Impulse buy I guess."  
  
He nodded. There hadn't been a memory specifically but at the same time she wasn't sure exactly what it was that had made her get it.  
  
"You think it's because of you."  
  
Her words had been spoken softly but Lee flinched. "I had hoped," he said honestly.  
  
"I'm sorry," she whispered. Something in her wanted, wished that it had been an unconscious attempt to remember him.  
  
Lee shook his head. "You've got nothing to be sorry for."  
  
SMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMK  
  
'_Oh my gosh!_'  
  
Jumping in her skin with surprise she frowned. That had sounded like her voice.  
  
"Are you so bored that you have to amuse yourself?" Winter asked with a glare. Setting his cup down he reached for some napkins to wipe up the coffee that had spilled when she had jumped, knocking his arm with her elbow.  
  
"Sorry, Winter," she apologized.  
  
"Just warn me next time."  
  
"I'll warn you when I get warned," she scoffed. Seeing the strange look from him she shook her head, waving it off. "Never mind."  
  
"Sorry I'm late," Dr McJohn apologized as he hurried into the conference room. "Minor medical emergency." Sitting down he looked around, surprised at the size of the group. In addition to Amanda and Lee, Winter, Francine, and Billy were there as well. "Shall we begin?"  
  
"What are we going to do?" she asked, wondering just what the doctor had in mind.  
  
"I thought we would start with some basic word association. I'll say a word and you say of the first thing that pops into your head."  
  
Nodding she waited for him to begin.  
  
"Life."  
  
"Alive."  
  
Writing her response down on a small pad he kept going.  
  
"Pain."  
  
"Wound."  
  
"Love."  
  
"Family."  
  
Several more times they went back and forth until she was shocked at the answers she was giving.  
  
"Fire."  
  
"Warehouse."  
  
Lee glanced at Billy before turning his attention back to Amanda.  
  
"Bomb."  
  
"Trigger."  
  
"Enemy."  
  
"Adi Birol."  
  
"Death."  
  
"Preferable."  
  
McJohn stopped in shock. "Preferable?"  
  
She shrugged. "I don't know. It just popped into my head."  
  
Making a notation on his pad he kept going. "IFF."  
  
"Lying."  
  
"Scarecrow."  
  
"Needs a heart."  
  
Winter shook his head. "Will you ever drop that?"  
  
"Drop what?" Francine asked.  
  
"We are always having this argument. BR insists that the Scarecrow from Wizard of Oz had a brain and he needed a heart."  
  
"The book is wrong," she defended her opinion.  
  
"How can the book be wrong?"  
  
"I don't know, it just is."  
  
'_He created the Oz Network._'  
  
Closing her eyes she frowned. "What was the Oz Network?" she asked after a moment.  
  
"What do you mean?" Billy asked. "Are you remembering something?"  
  
"I'm not sure. Someone told me that he created the Oz Network."  
  
"Who created the Oz Network?" Lee prompted.  
  
"I don't know." She sighed with frustration. "All I'm getting are random expressions. 'Not exactly', 'Oh my gosh', 'Stay in the car'. They don't make any sense."  
  
"It sounds like you're trying to remember some things. Were there any others?" She shook her head. "All right. Let's see if we can't prompt something to come back." Reaching into his folder he brought out a picture and handed it to her. "Study this and tell us what comes to your mind."  
  
Looking at the picture she frowned when she saw a picture of an abandoned warehouse. The building was empty, dust settled on the floor she could see footprints going off into the distance toward the far wall but never returning. On the ground sat a device that looked like a bomb and she wondered...  
  
'_Stay here Amanda, I'll be right back._'  
  
'_Alright, Lee. Be careful._'  
  
Taking in a sharp breath she looked up at Lee. "You went out to do something and I stayed behind."  
  
He nodded. "I had to go make a report and give out some orders to the ones that were waiting. You stayed in the warehouse to supervise the bomb squad."  
  
_Black jackets, bold white lettering printed across them, turned to face her with guns drawn._  
  
"There was no bomb squad," she said, shaking her head. "They had guns."  
  
'I hate guns.'  
  
"I checked them out when they came. Their id's were in good order."  
  
Billy looked at Lee; he could see the frustration. When it had dawned on him that it was the 'bomb squad' that had done this his fist had clenched on top of the table, his temple pulsing with anger.  
  
'_The password is checkbook, Mrs. Martsen._'  
  
"If they were the ones that had taken Amanda whose bodies were found in the fire?"  
  
'_We can't build a fire, Amanda, it could be seen. Come here, we can share body heat to keep warm._'  
  
Pain pounded in her head, increasing with each sporadic memory that came to her until she put her head in her hands, a small whimper of pain escaping from her lips before she could catch it.  
  
"BR?"  
  
"Amanda?"  
  
Both men spoke at once, each one concerned at the whimper they had heard, the obvious pain they could see. Reaching out Lee touched her knee gently. "Amanda, take a rest. Let McJohn give you some pain medicine and we'll pick this up again later."  
  
Unable to do anything more than nod she let them lead her back to the room she was staying in, falling into the bed. The prick of the needle barely registered before blackness settled in around her, the world seeming farther away with every passing second.  
  
"Will she be okay?" Lee asked. Worry dripped from his words like a leaky faucet, unable to ignore.  
  
"I think she'll be fine. I'll need to monitor her closely but I believe it's just a headache. It's a side effect of the drug."  
  
"Keep me informed," Lee demanded. With a clenched fist he left the room, struggling not to hit something. She was in pain and there was nothing he could do about it.  
  
SMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMK 


	5. Chapter Four

Chapter Four  
  
_A train whistle shrieked in the air, it's shrill scream filling her mind and removing her ability to think. When it finally abated she rubbed her temple, wishing she could break the whistle before it screamed again. The pain stayed with her as she hurried down the station walkway, searching desperately for what she had lost. Boxes were scattered before her, each one closed tightly. Reaching for the one nearest her she tried to pry open the flaps but they were taped firmly together. Pulling, ripping, attacking the tape she tried desperately to open the box.  
  
With a small grin of triumph she pulled back the flaps and peered into the box. Curiously she pulled out a small music box. Wondering what it meant she was still investigating it when a small card fell out. Picking it up she read the words scrawled on it. 'Save the Pilgrims Peach Puff.' What was a Pilgrims Peach Puff? How was she supposed to save it?  
  
Suddenly the train whistled again and she looked up with a grimace, dropping the music box to cover her ears from the painful noise. From behind she felt someone lift her to her feet, a pair of strong arms wrapping themselves around her as they walked through the station. 'Walk with me,' the arms said.  
  
'No,' she said. It wasn't fear that drove her to say no, but a need to open another box, a need to try and solve the mystery of the peach puff. 'I will not!'  
  
'Please!'  
  
'No.'  
  
'Please!' the arms said again. The voice was urgent, desperate, and she found herself giving in.  
  
'What do I have to do?'  
  
The voice told her to get on the train and get a red hat before it suddenly disappeared. Looking after it she saw a man in a white jacket running away, getting as far as he could before he was tackled to the ground. Shocked she climbed onto the train and stopped in confusion. The car was filled with red hats from top to bottom. Which one was she supposed to take?  
  
Before she could decide a man approached her, asking what she was doing. Not trusting him to tell the truth she made up an excuse and got off the train. The boxes were gone and she fell to her knees in despair. What was going on? Who was she? Would she ever get the answers she needed?  
  
Off in the distance she saw a person hanging from the wall. Would they have the answers? Getting to her feet she hurried toward them. As she got closer she saw that it was the scarecrow again. His hazel eyes bored into hers and she knew he was the key to answering her questions. 'Please, tell me what I need to know!'  
  
'Give me my heart back,' was his only reply. 'I need my heart to live.'  
  
A glimmer caught her eye and she looked down to see a pendant lying at her feet. Bending down she picked it up and examined it. It was a diamond pendant in the shape of a heart.  
  
'Give me my heart back. I need my heart to live.'  
  
Holding out the pendant to him he took it from her with tears in his eyes as he brought it to his lips. 'My heart is home,' he said, smiling through his tears. 'Thank you for bringing my heart home.'  
  
'Who am I?' she asked him, hoping now that he had his heart he would help her. 'Please scarecrow, tell me who I am.'  
  
He smiled at her, his smile electric. 'My heart,' was his only reply before he climbed down from the wall and wandered off, holding the pendant over his heart.  
  
'Who am I?' she cried after him. Falling to her knees again she rocked back and forth, tears falling from her eyes. 'Who am I?'  
_  
SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK  
  
Standing before the glass he watched her toss and turn in her bed. Her face was twisted with pain and fear and he wondered what was going through her mind. What nightmares were laying out in her dreams? Did she dream about him? Was it possible that somewhere in her clouded mind she remembered him, even if she didn't realize it?  
  
He could feel tears pricking at his eyes as he watched her. It had been so long, so many years thinking she was dead. Now, like a dream or a miracle, she was back. Somebody had some explaining to do and he wondered who would have the answers. Half of him didn't care. Just knowing she was alive, that she was almost home, was enough for him.  
  
"Hang in there, Mom," he whispered, touching the glass briefly. "Lee will bring you home."  
  
SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK  
  
The file sat open on the table before him but his mind was elsewhere. Since the group had split off, Amanda going to rest, Billy and Francine going back to work, he had been poring over the file, searching or an answer to the questions in his mind. If the bomb squad had been fake where were the real people? Whose bodies had been recovered from the fire? How had the coroner made such a mistake with the autopsy and the dental records?  
  
Hours later he stood and forced himself to move around, stretch out his legs before they stiffened to a point of being unable to move. As he took a turn around the room his eyes fell on a leather-bound book resting on the table where Amanda had been sitting. The debate between Winter and Amanda came back to him and he wondered what it was about the book that she thought was wrong. Picking up the book he opened it and scanned the pages within its covers. Notes were written in the margin in the handwriting he recognized as Amanda's.  
  
'Scarecrow had a brain – he needed a heart.'  
  
The field of flowers that Dorothy had fallen asleep in had been crossed off, the word 'roses' written in its place.  
  
Suddenly it hit him. She was mixing up the story with the Oz Network, the history that she had been introduced when the Tin Man was trying to kill the rest of the network. Without realizing it Amanda had remembered!  
  
"Lee?"  
  
Slamming the book shut Lee looked up to the doorway to see Jaime standing just inside the room. "Hey Jaime, come on in," he smiled. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"I had to come and see her," he answered honestly.  
  
Lee nodded. "Did you talk to her?"  
  
"No, she was sleeping," he shook his head. "I just needed to see her Lee, to make sure she was really here."  
  
"It's okay," he soothed. "I know how you feel."  
  
"Grandma's been going crazy at the house."  
  
Lee frowned. He hadn't been home in a few days and he suddenly realized he hadn't given Dotty any sort of an update on her daughter. Swearing under his breath he chastised himself for being so stupid and thoughtless. "I'll call her."  
  
"I think she just needs to know she's still okay. Philip too. He doesn't say much but I know he's worried."  
  
"Where does Dotty think you are?"  
  
"At the library. I'm going there next to get some homework done."  
  
Lee smiled. Jaime was as good at lying to Dotty as Amanda had been. "Then you'd better get going."  
  
Jaime nodded but didn't move. "How long, Lee? How long do you think it will be until she... she remembers us?"  
  
"I don't know," he answered honestly. "I really don't know Jaime."  
  
SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK  
  
Waking with a start she sat up in the bed like a rocket, the covers falling to her waist. Her chest heaved with exertion, her heart hammering as though she had been running for her life. And she had. Her dream played vividly in her mind, the guns that were chasing her, yelling at her to stop in English that was thickly accented by a Russian tongue. Tossing the covers aside she stood, her legs shaky, and moved into the bathroom that joined the room. Running the water for a minute she splashed some onto her face, trying to rid herself of the fear that stayed in her very bones after waking from her dream.  
  
Taking the towel from the wall she headed back out to the main room, patting her face dry as she walked. With a sigh she dropped down onto the bed, lying back and staring at the ceiling. 'Pilgrims Peach Puff' What was it? It sounded like a dessert of some kind. Why would that be so important?  
  
A knock sounded on the door and she called out for whomever it was to enter. The door opened and a guard poked his head in. "Excuse me, Ma'am. Mr. Stetson asked me to see if you were ready to rejoin the group for another session."  
  
"Of course," she said. Tossing the towel aside she stood and moved toward the door. "Thank you," she said as she passed by the guard.  
  
Entering the room she saw the same picture sitting on the table and she was drawn to it. Sitting down she picked up the picture and stared at it for a moment, her mind a swirling whirlwind of scattered and confusing images.  
  
_A masked man, gun in hand, ordering her to come with him.  
  
'Set it up,' he commanded to the ones that were with him.  
  
From behind the man she saw the men from the bomb squad dragging bodies towards the bomb and dumping them on the ground unceremoniously next to the device.  
_  
"They were working together," she said, her voice disrupting the silence of the room. "The bomb squad wasn't really the bomb squad. They were taking orders from him."  
  
"Him who?" Francine asked.  
  
She shook her head. "I don't know, he was wearing a mask. He had a gun and told me to come with him. The other men were dragging bodies toward the bomb."  
  
'_It's always the blue wire'_  
  
Shaking her head she tried to focus on the picture. "We left the warehouse and got into some sort of van. It was dark; I couldn't see anything. As we drove away the ground seemed to shake and I could hear a loud explosion. Someone put a cloth over my mouth and I blacked out."  
  
The scratching of a pen against paper was the only sound for a moment while Francine noted Amanda's account of events.  
  
"Can you remember what happened next?"  
  
Frowning she closed her eyes, trying remember. "It's fuzzy. I think I woke up at one point but they drugged me again. While I was awake I felt... I don't know. It felt like we were flying but I can't be sure."  
  
"What's the next thing you remember?" Billy prompted. "Take your time."  
  
Leaning forward she put her head in her hands, her elbows resting on the table. "It so confusing. I can hear some chanting in the back of my mind, it keeps repeating over and over."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Sing no more ditties, sing no more, men were deceivers ever. One foot on sea and one on shore, to one thing constant never. Then sigh not so, but let them go, and be you blithe and bonnie, converting all your sounds of woe into hey nonnie nonnie."  
  
Lee frowned. "That's your mantra," he said. "It's from Shakespeare."  
  
"Mantra," she repeated, every thing falling into place. "To avoid giving any information during torture."  
  
The men and women in the room reached the same conclusion at once. She had been tortured. Whoever it was that had taken her out of that warehouse had tortured her for whatever information she had known.  
  
"The next thing I can remember I woke up in a hospital."  
  
Silence filled the room. Lee felt sick. Amanda had been tortured. He had left her alone in that warehouse with an entire team of the bad guys and she had been kidnapped and tortured as a result. He wanted to scream, he wanted to run away, but he couldn't trust himself to move for fear he would collapse if he tried to stand.  
  
Lifting his eyes to her face he stared at the eyelid that drooped a little, the scar that ran along her jaw. Forcing himself to his feet he left the room, barely making it into a bathroom stall before he lost everything he had eaten that day.  
  
SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK  
  
Sitting at the table she stared at the door. After three days of being stuck below ground she could feel herself slowly going stir crazy and knew I she didn't get outside soon she would lose what little mind she had left. Making a decision she stood and carefully, soundlessly, made her way to he door, opening it just a crack to peer out. There was a guard at the end of the hallway, several doors and one corridor between her and him. Waiting until his attention was focused in the other direction she slipped from the room and hurried down the hallway.  
  
Peering around the corner of the other corridor she saw that it was empty and ended at a T. Her decision made she hurried down the hall, silently making her way down various corridors until she recognized one of them and found her way from there to one of the security exits. Wondering how she could get past the guard the answer came to her when she saw a deliveryman making his way down the hall. His badge was a generic one, no picture id, and his hat hid a good portion of his face from view.  
  
Plan in mind she followed him with her eyes waiting until he was alone in a secluded area before making her move.  
  
SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK  
  
Reaching for the phone Lee picked up the receiver without thought and said hello. Listening to the man on the other end of the line his focus was pulled into the forefront when he heard the mans news. "What do you mean she's gone?" he yelled. "How could she have gotten out without being noticed?"  
  
Not getting the answers he wanted he hung up the phone. Working as quickly as he could he called down to security and had them pull the tapes for the last few days. The tapes were brought to his office and he reviewed them, fast forwarding until he saw what he was looking for. Watching Amanda deliver a quick chop to the back of a deliveryman's neck he knew what she was doing before he saw her don the mans uniform and hat, pushing the delivery cart toward the exit.  
  
She had escaped without being noticed and he had no idea where she was planning on going.  
  
SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK  
  
Shutting the door behind her she left the keys on the seat. She didn't want the truck; she had only needed it to get away from the agency as quickly as possible. Taking a deep breath to steady herself she looked around. The area was unfamiliar to her; she didn't recognize anything. Unsure of where she was going, or why she had chosen that direction, she started walking. Taking in the peaceful suburb around her she stopped when she saw a sign for Maplewood Drive. It looked like a nice street and so she turned down it.  
  
As she looked at each of the houses she suddenly stopped still as her head began to throb again. Sitting down on the sidewalk she put her head in her hands, tears of pain filling her eyes.  
  
'_Do not call your brother lamebrain!_'  
  
Kids?  
  
She shook her head. That was unexpected. Even as she thought that her mind remembered part of her dream. Two little boys playing in the alleyway, begging her to come home. Maybe it wasn't such a far off concept after all. The pain beginning to lesson to a dull ache she stood up from the sidewalk and took another look around. The house that was across from her was pleasant looking and it seemed to call out to her. Curious she wandered into the yard and around the side of the house to the backyard.  
  
'_Get down!_'  
  
Stopping still at the unexpected memory of Lee Stetson darting out of view she froze where she stood. Was this where he lived? Why did this place seem so welcoming to her? Her mind still focused on her questions she didn't notice the back door suddenly open, an older woman coming into the back yard, her face white as though she were seeing a ghost.  
  
"I'm sorry," she stammered, quickly backing up. "I shouldn't have trespassed."  
  
"No!" the woman cried, reaching out toward her. "Please don't go!" Her hand still reaching out to her the older woman's eyes began to fill with tears. "Panda," she breathed.  
  
A giant stuffed panda bear sat on the front doorstep and she knelt down behind it.  
  
"Do I... do you know me?" she asked. Hesitation filled her voice as she stammered over her words.  
  
The woman nodded. "Yes, I do."  
  
"Who am I?" she whispered, repeating the words from her dreams.  
  
"You're my daughter."  
  
SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK 


	6. Chapter Five

Chapter Five  
  
Sitting on the couch, a cup of tea held in her slightly trembling hands, she looked around at the living room. The pictures on the wall and above the mantle held her attention. Dotty, busy preparing some food in the kitchen, was out of sight so she stood and moved to look at the pictures. She saw herself with two boys, one n either side of her, smiling back at the camera. 'My sons?' she thought to herself. The boys were prominent on the wall, their pictures appearing more often than any of the others did as they grew up through the years.  
  
Looking at the mantle she stopped still, her breath caught in her throat. A larger picture stood at one end and she saw herself in a simple white suit standing side by side with him, Lee, Scarecrow, their hands clasped together smiling the brightest smile she had ever seen. Looking closely at their hands she saw golden rings adorning their left hands and she gasped.  
  
"Married?" she exclaimed.  
  
"Five years ago."  
  
Turning she saw Dolly entering the room, a tray filled with food in her hands that she quickly set down on the table.  
  
"When you disappeared Lee came forward and told us the truth."  
  
"Truth?"  
  
"That you had been married for two years in secret because your jobs were so dangerous. I must say I was quite surprised. Of course then I realized that you had been telling me the truth all those years ago and I just knew..."  
  
'_I'm a spy, mother._'  
  
The dull ache sprang to life again and she rubbed her temple, trying to listen to Dotty, her mother, as she spoke.  
  
"Are you all right?" she asked, putting a gentle hand on her knee. "You don't look well at all."  
  
"It's just a headache. Please tell me more. Who are those boys? Are they mine?"  
  
Dotty nodded. "The older one is Phillip, the younger is Jaime. They were from your first marriage to Joe."  
  
"You mean Lee?" she replied, looking up at the picture on the mantle. They looked so happy.  
  
"No, Joe was your first husband. You divorced a few years before you met Lee."  
  
Still rubbing her temple she got to her feet and approached the mantle again. Next to the wedding picture was another one, of Lee standing behind a grill, Phillip laughing at him while Dotty's face was filled with a mixture of horror and humor at the large wet stain down the front of Lee's shirt, an empty glass in Phillips hands.  
  
"Did I love him?"  
  
"Joe?"  
  
"No, Lee."  
  
Dotty smiled. "I've never seen you happier than when you were spending time with Lee."  
  
In spite of her confusion she smiled. "Tell me what he's like."  
  
"Lee is... he's Lee. He seems so strong all the time but every now and then I can see through a small crack in his armor and see how truly scared he really is. The boys love him dearly. It was hard at first; he just kind of jumped right in after you... disappeared. After a while though the boys warmed up to him. Phillip first of course but Jaime fell under his charm too. Lee wouldn't give up on him."  
  
"And you? Do you like him?"  
  
Dotty laughed. "He is a charmer if I ever met one. The things he manages to get away with amaze me. But I can tell he needs to be here, he wants to be here, as a part of our family."  
  
Looking around the room one more time she returned to her seat on the couch. "What about me?"  
  
"He loves you," she said. Gently taking her hands Dotty held them in her own. "There is no doubt in my mind about that. I can see it in everything he does. Lee holds you in his heart and even when we thought you were dead he still talked to you as though you were here with him."  
  
She felt tears pricking at her eyes again. "I wish I could remember."  
  
"All in time, sweetheart," Dotty said. Wrapping her arms around her daughter she rubbed her back. "All in time."  
  
SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK  
  
Standing in the room, dark except for a shaft of sunlight beaming in through the window, he watched her as she slept. By the time Dotty had called him he had been at his wits ends trying to find her. Cringing as he remembered how sharply he had answered the phone, all but yelling at his mother in law, Lee hoped the flowers he had brought home were apology enough. His eyes traced the outline of her face as she lay sleeping in the bed they had never been able to share.  
  
The thought of it caused his body to ache with a need he hadn't felt in years. The need to hold her, to feel her hands on his arms as she hugged him or comforted him. The simple and yet driving need to simply hold her in his arms the way he had been denied for three years. Forcing himself to stay where he was, allowing himself to only watch her, Lee stared with unblinking eyes at his wife, his lover, his life, and his heart.  
  
Heart.  
  
He thought back to the notes he had seen in her copy of The Wizard of Oz. She had been insistent that the Scarecrow had a brain and that he had needed a heart. Lee smiled a small grin. She was right. He'd had a brain but it wasn't until he'd been forced to work with Amanda that he had found his heart.  
  
The lump under the covers stirred and he waited to see if she was waking or simply turning over in her sleep. After a moment he saw her eyes open and adjust to the lack of light in the room.  
  
"How long have I been asleep?" she asked, her voice rough with sleep.  
  
"A few hours," he replied. "Dotty called me to let me know you were safe."  
  
"I never was any good at staying in the car," she said. "That much I can remember."  
  
Out of sheer relief Lee laughed and it sounded good to her ears. Sitting up she made room for him on the bed and motioned for him to come closer. When he was sitting near her she looked at his face for a long time, silence filling the room as she examined him.  
  
"Tell me about us," she asked. "Not our cases but our partnership, our relationship. What were 'we' like?"  
  
Watching her for a moment he thought about her question before he spoke.  
  
"We were good. We were the best," he replied. "Not in the beginning of course. In the beginning I wanted nothing to do with you. I thought you were just some nutty housewife that was caught up in the wrong stuff. But Billy kept forcing us together and after a while I started to care. You refused to give up on me, no matter what I did or how many times I hurt you."  
  
Taking her hand in his he looked at her, his eyes filled with pain, hope, love and despair all swirling together in his hazel orbs.  
  
"I kept forcing myself to keep you at arms length but I couldn't. You were everything to me and when I finally admitted it I was scared to death that you wouldn't feel the same way. We had so many near misses, almost kisses, until we finally locked the door and kept the world at bay long enough to kiss for the first real time."  
  
"Why did we keep our marriage a secret?" she asked.  
  
Lee explained what had happened and she nodded. It was a good reason. Silence fell for a few minutes as she digested all the information he had given her.  
  
"It's strange," she said after a moment. "Some of the things I'm hearing seem familiar but I cant. It's like a puzzle piece that slightly too large for the hole. If you push hard enough you can make it fit but it doesn't fit right."  
  
"How can I help?" Lee asked.  
  
"I don't know," she replied. "I wish you could but I really don't know if you can. But doing what you've been doing, telling me things, answering my questions, it helps a little. Sometimes it will spark a memory that feels right. It's confusing because they're so scattered but it's right, I can feel it."  
  
Looking up at him she could see the emotions roiling around in his eyes.  
  
"Just be patient with me, okay?"  
  
SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK  
  
"Boy's, dinner's ready!" Lee called up the stairs.  
  
Turning back towards the table he looked at Amanda sitting at the head of it. It had been her decision to join them for dinner. He had tried to warn her about the boys but she only smiled at him. 'I can't stay away forever, right?' she'd said. Thunderous movements could be heard from the second floor and soon he heard them running down the stairs to get to the first floor, their teenage stomachs rushing them to be fed.  
  
Both boys stopped suddenly when they saw her sitting at the head of the table, their eyes wide. Jaime, having already seen her at the agency, recovered first and moved closer, holding out his hand to her.  
  
"Hi," he said. "I'm Jaime."  
  
"Hi Jaime," she replied. "It's okay if you want to hug," she said, surprised by the offer.  
  
A smile split his face and he leaned in, hugging her tightly. "I missed you, Mom," he whispered.  
  
Stepping aside he let Phillip approach, the older brother taking slow steps as he tried to force his mind around the fact that his mother, his risen from the dead mother, was sitting in the dining room. Seeing her smile at him his trance was broken and he hurried forward, wrapping his arms around her and squeezing tightly.  
  
"Mom," he whispered, his voice choked by tears.  
  
She could feel tears stinging at her eyes again and, looking at the other three, she knew she wasn't the only one. Dotty wiped her tears away with a tissue while both Lee and Jaime fought to keep theirs at bay. After a few moments he pulled away, wiping at his eyes and muttering about allergies. Urging everyone to sit down Dotty served the dinner and soon they had begun to eat. The silence was deafening until she could take it no more.  
  
"Dotty told me you had a championship game a few days ago, Phillip. Did your team win?"  
  
"Yeah," he grinned, relieved that the silence was gone. Telling her about the game he went into such detail that the whole dinner had gone by and they were halfway through dessert before he finished his story.  
  
Smiling at his enthusiasm she turned to face Jaime. "What about you? Do you play any sports?"  
  
Jaime shook his head. "No, not really. I'm the school photographer though so I have to go to all the games."  
  
'_I was demonstrating the hook slide._'  
  
Shaking her head she rubbed her temple gently. Seeing her do that, remembering the times it had happened previously, Lee realized she had remembered something, the headache increasing as she had done so. "Boy's why don't you guys clear the table and wash the dishes," he said. From his tone they knew it wasn't a question and both of them stood, taking their dishes into the kitchen. "Is the pain too much?" Lee asked softly.  
  
"Not yet," she whispered. "I just need time to adjust."  
  
Nodding he met Dotty's eye and she smiled. "I'll make you a nice cup of tea."  
  
Patting her hand gently Dotty stood up and moved into the kitchen to boil some water, leaving Lee with Amanda.  
  
"We should get you to Dr McJohn," he decided.  
  
"No," shaking her head. "There's nothing he could do. The pain fades after a minute. I just need to give it some time."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
Looking up at him she smiled. "I'm sure."  
  
"All right. Why don't we go sit in the living room?"  
  
Nodding she walked to the couch and sat down with him, a respectable distance between them. "Lee, what were we doing at that warehouse?"  
  
"We were investigating the bomb. One of my family had told me that there was a link between the bomb and our case. We had been trying to find Renetti," Lee advised.  
  
"The terrorist," she nodded. "I've heard of him. Was he there?"  
  
"No just the bomb was. It didn't make any sense but there wasn't time to try and figure it out. The bomb squad had already been called and when they got there I had to report in to Billy. I was outside when the bomb went off." Lee stopped, his voice choking at the memory.  
  
'_Put her in the chair._'  
  
Closing her eyes she rubbed her temple again, the pain worse than usual.  
  
'_She's not responding, Scarecrow's trained her well._'  
  
A small moan escaped her and she rubbed her temples harder, trying desperately to ward off the pain.  
  
_His fist flew toward her face again and again, the pain blending into one massive hurt, individual blows no longer registering in her mind. A man stood before her, his eyes hard and cold. 'Tell us what you know about Renetti,' he demanded.  
_  
_'She will tell you nothing,' another man said, his voice coming from the shadows. With a quick puff on his cigar he moved into the light and she could see his face. 'If she knows anything she wouldn't tell us anyway.'  
  
Lifting her head enough to view his face her eyes widened in shock at the man who stood before her.  
_  
'_Kill her._'  
  
Lee was worried. He'd heard the moan of pain and was reaching for the telephone when she suddenly screamed, her hands clutching her head. "Amanda!" he cried, reaching for her. Catching her in his arms Lee looked down to see that she was unconscious. Swearing under his breath he reached for the phone and called Dr. McJohn, advising the man to meet him at the hospital and make sure the NEST team was ready.  
  
"Lee?" Phillip said, his voice filled with concern.  
  
Looking up he saw the three of them huddled together, each face filled with worry and fear. "I have to get her to the hospital. The doctors will take good care of her."  
  
"I'm coming with you," Jaime announced, the tone of his voice denying Lee the chance to argue the point.  
  
"We are too," Dotty said.  
  
Lee thought he should make them stay home but knew it wouldn't be fair. Nodding he told Phillip to start the car. Dotty and Jaime hurried out to the car with Phillip and Lee gathered Amanda in his arms. Gently kissing her forehead he whispered, "Hang in there, okay? I'm not going to lose you this close to having you back."  
  
SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK SMK


	7. Chapter Six

Chapter Six  
  
Sitting in the hallway, Dotty on one side and Phillip on the other, Lee looked across the hall to Jaime. He'd been quiet since they'd left for the hospital and Lee could tell by his face that he was worried. Sometimes he wondered if he should have let Jaime work for the agency the way he had. It had seemed like the right thing to do at the time. Like his mother he always seemed to be in the wrong place at the right time to help them. Lee had allowed him to undergo the training and he had flourished in it.  
  
'Just like Amanda,' he thought to himself.  
  
A teenager. Lee had to remind himself that that's all Jaime was. A teenager. He acted much older than his years and it was hard for Lee to remember that he was still in high school. They had talked about it once and Jaime had insisted he could keep on top of everything. And so far he had. Lee was so proud of the boy. 'Young man,' he corrected himself. 'He's a young man.'  
  
"Mr. Stetson?"  
  
Getting to his feet Lee looked at the young doctor that had called his name. She was petite and he had to look down to see her face. "Yes? How is she?"  
  
"I'm afraid she's slipped into a coma. The effects of the drugs were too much for her body to handle."  
  
"Will she wake up?" he demanded to know.  
  
"At this time we have no way of knowing. I'm sorry but the best we can do is to keep her comfortable and keep her stable right now." Tucking her chart under her arms she smiled sadly at him. "You can go in and sit with her if you'd like."  
  
Nodding he stood, unmoving as he watched the young woman walk away. A coma. He wanted to break down right then and there but he knew he couldn't, he needed to be strong for the boys and for Dotty. Turning to face them he smiled encouragingly and, he hoped, convincingly. "Why don't you three go sit with her for as little while. I need to make a call in to work and then I'll be right in."  
  
They filed into the room silently and Lee turned, heading away from the room. He didn't stop walking until he was outside. Staring at the parking lot he took deep breaths, trying to calm himself down. It wasn't working. Tears filled his eyes, stinging and persistent. Swallowing he swiped them away but they were replaced faster than he could get rid of them.  
  
'Hey,' he heard. Looking around he saw her, standing in the blurred vision of his tears. 'I'm still here.'  
  
"You can't leave me, Amanda," he despaired. "Not now when you finally came back."  
  
'You can't get rid of me that easily, big fella.' She smiled at him. 'I'm still here, Lee. I love you.'  
  
"I love you too."  
  
"Lee?"  
  
Whipping his head around he saw Billy and Francine walking towards him. Wiping at the tears again he tried to smile for them but it was no use. "She's in a coma," he told them.  
  
"Oh no," Billy moaned.  
  
"The drugs were too much," Lee expounded. "They don't know if she'll wake up or not. Dotty and the boys are in with her right now. I just needed... some fresh air."  
  
Placing a gentle hand on his friend's shoulder Billy nodded. "Come on in when you're ready," he advised before turning to head into the building, Francine following him after giving her friend a small hug.  
  
'Beaman's really mellowing her out,' he couldn't help but think to himself. Lowering himself onto a bench near the doorway Lee folded his hands and hunched over, staring at the concrete below his feet for a few moments before closing his eyes. Worry filled him and he felt older than his actual age.  
  
Much, much older.  
  
SMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMK  
  
Through the open doorway he could hear the muted sounds of a hospital at night. The room was dark except for a small light overhead and he was glad for it. His headache had been nearly intolerable but when everyone else had left and the lights had gone down he was able to nurse it down to a dull ache behind his eyes. Every hour on the hour a nurse had been in to check Amanda's vitals and all of them had tried to get him to leave or lie down.  
  
Finally he had given in and told the last one he would lie down for a little while. And, after making sure she was gone, he had. Lee shifted slightly and laid his head back on the pillow. He could smell her shampoo and an ache settled over his heart. How long had it been since he'd smelled her shampoo? Since he'd been able to lie in the same bed with her, his arms around his wife?  
  
He felt a small twinge of guilt that it had taken a coma to allow himself to hold her again but he dismissed it. Amanda would understand. She would. When she woke up.  
  
Closing his eyes again he sighed and shifted again, nudging himself closer to her, tightening his hold on his wife before drifting off to sleep before he could notice the woman in the doorway watching them closely. After a brief second she turned and left, heading to the nurses' station and reaching for the phone. Dialing several digits she waited for the other end to pick up.  
  
"We have a problem."  
  
SMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMK  
  
Sitting behind his desk, relaxing while he smoked his cigar and drank his glass of brandy, he scowled when the door opened and a man walked in. "I thought I had left instructions not to be bothered?" he said with a tone the sent chills down the messengers back.  
  
"I understand that sir but I bring a message from the one of our eyes at the hospital."  
  
"Well?" he sneered when the man didn't continue.  
  
Scared, wishing he was anywhere but here, the man stammered for a moment before he was able to get the message out. "Mrs. King is at the hospital. She's in a coma as a result of the memory drugs she took to remember the things she's forgotten."  
  
He was silent for a moment as he thought over the message. "Is Scarecrow with her?"  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
Setting his glass down on the desk gently he stood and moved to the window to look out over the bustling crowds on the street below. "I want her here. Bring her to me."  
  
"Yes sir," the messenger said, overjoyed to be dismissed and able to flee from his presence. "I'll have her here in no time."  
  
"See that you do," he advised, turning to face the messenger that was inching towards the door. "And make sure Scarecrow doesn't follow."  
  
SMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMK  
  
Sitting in a chair by the edge of her bed Lee ran a tired hand over his face. He had gone home to get cleaned up and had run into the office for a few minutes to take care of some work that hadn't been able to wait, but then he had returned to the hospital as quickly as he could. Everyone had been very understanding during the last three days. Billy and Francine had chipped in to take care of the bulk of his work and the agents had taken care to stay on top of everything so his attention could rest solely on Amanda.  
  
Looking up at the noise in the doorway he saw a nurse bringing in a tray of food. "I thought you might like something to eat," she smiled at him. "I'll leave it right here for you."  
  
Thanking her he ignored the tray until his nose caught the aroma of the chicken broth and his stomach growled in protest that he wasn't drinking it. Giving in he reached for the bowl, gulping down the hot broth until it was gone. Still sitting in the chair he felt his limbs growing weaker as the tiredness he'd been fighting suddenly became too much. His head dropped forward onto his chest as Lee feel into a deep, drug induced, sleep.  
  
"He's out like a light," the nurse said as she moved back into the room. "Unlatch the brakes on the back wheels," pointing toward the head of the bed. "I'll grab the front ones."  
  
Working quickly they mobilized the bed and rolled it out of the room, making sure they attached the necessary equipment and IV's to the bedrail. Hurrying down the hallway they blended in with everyone else, and orderly and a nurse transporting a patient through the halls. As the turned the corner and headed towards the sliding doors they were too busy to notice a young man watching them with a frown.  
  
Following them Jaime's frown deepened into a scowl when he saw them loading her into a waiting ambulance. Pulling out his camera, knowing better then to try and stop them by himself, he snapped as many pictures as he could before the ambulance pulled away. Waiting only long enough to see which way they were heading he hurried to the nearest phone, dialing the alert number.  
  
"This is Jaime King. I've got a code red. Ambulance number thirteen eighty-five just pulled out of St. Sisters Hospital heading west on Gelding Road. Mrs. King has been taken. I repeat Mrs. King has been taken."  
  
Confirming the information the operator advised she would pass on the information and get a team activated at once. Satisfied that they would hurry Jaime hung up the phone and hurried up to the room where his mother had been, wondering why Lee had let them take her. He knew it wouldn't have happened if Lee had been able to stop them and Jaime was worried that something bad had happened to his stepfather. Entering the room he saw Lee slumped over in a chair and called for a doctor to come quickly.  
  
Dr Risht hurried into the room, hesitating just a moment in surprise that her patient was gone before turning her attention to Lee. Calling out for an orderly to bring a gurney she felt for his pulse and breathing. When the gurney was rolled in the two men lifting Lee and putting him on the gurney. Calling out orders she took a vial out of her pocket, taking a sample of Lee's blood and sending it down to the labs for a full work up.  
  
When he was satisfied that Lee was in good hands Jaime went out into the hallway to see Billy and Francine walking towards him. Meeting them halfway he explained what he had seen while his mother was being taken. "They're testing Lee's blood to see what they did to him, Sir. I have to get back to the agency to develop these pictures."  
  
Billy nodded, impressed with the detail that Jaime had picked up on and relayed in his debriefing. "Francine will drive you back to the agency. This film takes top priority."  
  
With a brief nod on confirmation Francine turned to head back out of the hospital but stopped when Jaime didn't follow her.  
  
"Sir, has there been any word on the ambulance?"  
  
"I'm afraid not, Son," Billy said as he shook his head. "We'll keep looking but those pictures will really help."  
  
"I'll get on them right away."  
  
Watching them walk away for a moment Billy couldn't help but be amazed at the young mans determination and aptitude for this line of work. The nations best agents, even Jaime who was technically an agent in training, had been hiding in the Washington suburbs all this time. A small smile tugged at his lips as Billy walked into the room to check on Lee and get an update from the doctor.  
  
SMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMK  
  
Sitting at her desk Francine saw Jaime coming towards her and her thoughts flew to Amanda. The woman had a knack for getting herself into trouble. 'Of course,' she thought to herself with a small smile. 'She also has a knack for getting out of it too.'  
  
"How did they turn out?" she asked when Jaime was within distance.  
  
"Good. I'll take them to Identification to see if we can find out who they are. Hopefully we can get the word out to the airports and bus terminals in time."  
  
Francine nodded. He definitely had her skills when it came to the game of intelligence. "I'll come with you."  
  
SMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMK  
  
The ambulance drove through the open sea of concrete and blacktop before coming to a stop next to a smaller sized jet engine. The man and woman jumped out of the front and hurried to the back to open the doors. As they pulled the gurney off the ambulance two other men emerged from the plane.  
  
"Be careful of the IV's, they need to be kept in place," the woman directed.  
  
Working together they loaded the bed into the plane, locking it down for the ride out of the country while the nurse hooked the IV bags onto the poles waiting nearby. When they were set she gave the signal and the door to the plane shut, the plot told they were ready for takeoff. Outside the ambulance drove away, heading towards the nearest chop shop to be taken apart and sold for pieces.  
  
High in the sky a comatose Amanda was unaware she was flying toward the hell she thought she had escaped.  
  
SMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMK 


	8. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven  
  
Pulling the car into a parking spot Dotty took a moment to check her hair before getting out of the car. Looping her jacket over her arm, the day beautiful and sunny, she headed toward the hospital, a smile in her heart. Something good was going to happen today, she could feel it in her bones. With a spring in her step she entered the hospital and rode the elevator up to the second floor. Nearing her daughter's room she frowned when she saw the two guards sitting on either side of the door. Moving past them she stopped in shock at the sight before her.  
  
Where her daughter had once been now lay Lee, sleeping. Billy was on one side of the bed while Jaime was on the other side, both of them looking over pictures. "What is going on here? Did Amanda wake up? Why is Lee in the hospital bed? Jaime king why aren't you in school young man?"  
  
Both men looked up in surprise at the rapid-fire questions being thrown at them. Seeing his grandmother Jaime glanced quickly at Billy. Had she heard anything?  
  
"Mrs. West," Billy said, holding out his free hand to try and get her to stop. "Please, have a seat and I can explain."  
  
"No I will not, tell me where my daughter is!" Dotty demanded. Her hands on her hip she glared at Billy, her full attention was on him to the point that she didn't see her grandson approaching.  
  
"Grandma, please." Ignoring him Dotty fired her questions at Billy again, demanding to know where her daughter was and why Lee was in the bed. "Grandma!" Jaime suddenly cried, his voice as stern as hers was when they left the toilet seat up.  
  
Stopping she stared at him, shocked that he had raised his voice to her. Seeing him she noticed that something was different about her grandson. Jaime was the quiet one, the serene one. It was rare that he ever let anyone see how he was really feeling, not because he wasn't feeling it but because he did such a good job at hiding it. But now, looking up at him, she saw a face that was filled with anger and her own face blanched.  
  
"What's going on?" she asked, her voice soft and filled with a sudden and terrifying fear.  
  
"Sit down, Grandma," Jaime said. His voice was softer this time. "Mr. Melrose was just giving me an update on what's happening."  
  
Catching the young mans drift, smiling on the inside at his ability to control his grandmother while still keeping it a secret that he worked for the agency, Billy looked down at them sitting in the hallway.  
  
"Mrs. West I'm afraid it's not good news."  
  
"Oh dear God, she's dead isn't she? She didn't make it!" Dotty started, tears filling her eyes.  
  
"Grandma," Jaime warned, squeezing her shoulders gently. "Let Mr. Melrose finish."  
  
Apologizing she motioned for him to keep going.  
  
"Amanda was kidnapped. We're doing everything we can to try and locate her and get her back safely but for now we're going to have to ask that you and your two grandsons go with some of our agents to a safehouse on the other side of town. We'll keep you updated as often as we can but it will help us to work faster if we don't have to worry about your safety as well as Amanda's."  
  
"What happened to Lee?" she asked, her voice thick with tears, pointing toward the room.  
  
"We have to assume that Lee was in the room with Amanda when she was taken. From the bloodwork that came back it appears that he was given a heavy sedative. It's going to take him several hours to wake up from it. Until then we're going to leave him here under the doctors care. There will be guards posted at his door at all times."  
  
Dotty nodded, trying desperately to control the fear and sadness that was filling her heart. "Will he be okay?"  
  
"It was just a drug to make him sleep. As soon as he wakes up he'll have a headache but he'll be fine."  
  
"Phillip is still at school."  
  
"We have a team watching him, once school lets out he'll be picked up and brought to the safehouse."  
  
Nodding Dotty was escorted out to a car, Jaime staying behind to question Billy. "I saw them, sir, I should be out here helping!"  
  
"Listen to me son, I know you want to find your mom, we all do. But the best place for you right now is with your family. They're going to be scared and I'll need to you help keep them in line and make sure no one tries to do anything crazy."  
  
Jaime nodded, remembering the time when Lee had gone missing a year ago. Phillip had hit the roof and had managed to escape from the safehouse. It had taken them three hours to find him again. "Keep me updated, sir. Please," he asked.  
  
"I will, I promise."  
  
SMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMK  
  
Pain.  
  
It was the first thing to creep past the blackness. His head pounded with pain. Every pulse seemed to make the pain worse. Groaning he tried to raise his hand to his head but he had trouble moving it. Focusing his efforts he managed to move it, his arm as heavy as a tree trunk.  
  
"Mr. Stetson?"  
  
The voice called to him from faraway but it screeched like nails on a chalkboard.  
  
"Get me something for this damn headache," he ordered them, unsure of who it was.  
  
"Yes sir," came the reply.  
  
Some time later he felt a warm hand on his forehead and he relaxed. "Amanda."  
  
"Can you open your eyes, Mr. Stetson?"  
  
That wasn't Amanda's voice he realized suddenly. Forcing his eyes open he cringed at the brightness of the light. "What's going on?" he muttered, closing his eyes again.  
  
"You tell me," he heard. Finally a voice he recognized. Billy.  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"What do you remember, son?" he asked.  
  
"I was sitting here with Amanda and fell asleep. How did I end up in a bed?"  
  
"Do you remember anything from just before you fell asleep?"  
  
Closing his eyes again Lee tried to think. "There was a nurse. She brought me some food."  
  
"Is this her?"  
  
Lee forced his eyes open again and looked at the picture. "Yeah, that's her. Billy what's..." Then he saw it. Just beyond the nurse who was closing the ambulance doors he saw Amanda's sleeping face. Looking around the room quickly he realized he was in the same room, Amanda's room, but Amanda was nowhere to be seen. "What's going on Billy? Where's Amanda?" he demanded.  
  
"She was taken," Billy answered, not bothering to sugar coat the truth.  
  
Lee stared at his boss with incredulous eyes. "Excuse me?" The pain in his head stopped him from fully comprehending what Billy was saying even as he said it again. "What do you mean taken?"  
  
"I mean taken, gone, kidnapped."  
  
Lee's eyes rolled backwards as his head lay back down on the pillow. "How?"  
  
Billy frowned. This was not the reaction he was expecting. "They drugged you and took her away in an ambulance. If it hadn't been for Jaime and his camera we never would have known anything about it."  
  
"Jaime?"  
  
"Don't worry he's fine. We've put Dotty, Phillip and Jaime in a safe house, though none of them are too happy about it. It might be a good idea for you to give them a call, they're pretty worried about you."  
  
"What have you got on the nurse or the ambulance?"  
  
"Nothing yet. We tried to get a tail on them but they lost them. We've got two teams searching the nurses apartment and four more looking for the ambulance. According to the hospital surveillance camera there was an orderly that drove the ambulance out of here. We're looking for him as well."  
  
"How long ago?"  
  
"They took her about fourteen hours ago."  
  
"Fourteen...!" Lee started. "She could be halfway across the world by now Billy!"  
  
"I know that Lee. We've already contacted our people abroad to keep an eye out for any sign of her. There is nothing more we can do than what we're already doing. Now just lie there and..."  
  
Interrupted by the ringing of the phone Billy knew Lee was in pain by the scowl and flinch that filled his face at the jingle of the bell. Quickly he picked up the receiver and put it to his ear. "Melrose." Listening to the report his grim face lightened a shade, it wasn't much but it was enough to keep Lee's spirit from sinking any farther. "All right, keep me updated."  
  
"Well?" Lee asked before Billy had taken the phone away from his ear. "What was the report?"  
  
"They managed to find the ambulance. The driver got away but they're searching for some fingerprints now to try and find out who he is."  
  
Lee scowled. "I'm getting out of here," he said, swinging his legs off the bed.  
  
"Lee," Billy started.  
  
"Don't even try and tell me to stay where I am, Billy. I just got her back. I'll be damned if I'm gonna let someone take her away from me now."  
  
SMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMK  
  
Sitting at a table working on the computer Jaime kept a word document running in the background, just in case someone wandered by the monitor, but his main project took all his focus. Using everything he could recall from his classes, both school and agency, he hacked his way into the agency computers, looking for an update on the search for his mother. Almost there he suddenly hit a brick wall and was kicked off. Muttering under his breath he was trying log back in when the phone rang. Being nearest to it he picked it up.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"How many times do I have to warn you?"  
  
Jaime sighed. "Sorry Lee."  
  
"I know you're anxious but the instant we have even the slightest clue we'll call you, I promise."  
  
"Fine," he muttered. Jaime could hear Lee sigh on the other end of the phone.  
  
"Just hang in there, okay?"  
  
"We're trying to."  
  
"I know," Lee said softly, rubbing his hands over his eyes. "I know." Saying goodbye he hung up the phone and turned back to his screen. Before he could do anything the door to his office flew open.  
  
"We've got him!" Francine announced with a brilliant smile on her face. "The fingerprints came back with a match."  
  
"Who is it?" Lee demanded as he took the file from Francine.  
  
"His name is Jinsen, he's a hired gun for anyone who can afford him," she said as he read over the file. "A few weeks ago we saw him meeting with a known terrorist. It gets better. I pulled everything from his file and went as far back as I could go. Take a look at what he was doing three years ago."  
  
Lee flipped through the pages until he found what Francine was talking about. His blood froze in his veins for a moment. "Renetti," he whispered in shock.  
  
"I'll bet you a lobster dinner for two that he's the one who's got Amanda."  
  
SMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMK  
  
Sitting behind his desk Renetti watched the comatose woman on the monitors. When she'd arrived he'd had a doctor examine her to confirm what he'd been told. She was in a coma, no foreseeable awakening. Drawing on his cigar he watched her a cloud of smoke filtered up in front of the screen. She was a beautiful woman; it was shame he was going to have to kill her.  
  
SMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMK 


	9. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight  
  
She felt calm, peaceful, and for the first time in a very, very, very long time she knew without a doubt what her name was.  
  
Amanda.  
  
Tears stung at her eyes as memories came flooding back to her like a tidal wave.  
  
Lee.  
  
Phillip and Jaime.  
  
Mother.  
  
IFF.  
  
Francine and Billy and Mrs. Martsen and Leatherneck.  
  
Her friends.  
  
Her memories.  
  
Her life!  
  
Trying to raise a hand to wipe away a tear she frowned when she felt something tugging painfully at her skin. Opening her eyes she saw an IV needle sticking out of her arm and wondered what had happened. The last thing she could recall was sitting in the living room talking to Lee. Looking around, seeing that she was not in a hospital her senses went to full alert and she removed the IV from her arm. Getting out of the bed she inched her way towards the door at the far end of the empty room. Voices on the other side of the door made her freeze in her tacks but she relaxed when they passed by the door and continued on.  
  
With slow, noiseless movements she opened the door and peeked out into the other side. The hallway itself was empty but she could see a man sitting at one end of it, a gun tucked into his waistband and a larger one on the floor by his feet. His back was to her but she knew she wouldn't be able to get far without his noticing. Looking the other way she smiled. There was a window at the end of the hallway and she could see a roof just beyond it. It was a possibility.  
  
Glancing at the other man again she slid out of the room and tiptoed down the hallway to the window. It wasn't far and after glancing out of it for the briefest moment she hurried back to her room. This was going to take some planning.  
  
SMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMK  
  
Taking a deep breath Amanda closed her eyes for a moment, picturing the reasons she was going to take such a risk. Lee, Jaime, Phillip, Mother; their images flashed into her mind and she knew she was going to do all she could to get out and to safety. Slipping from the room she glanced over her shoulder as she made her way to the window, the guard's attention caught up in the game that was on the screen.  
  
Unlocking the latch she slid open the window, cringing when it made a small screeching noise. Glancing back again she prayed he hadn't noticed. With a sigh of relief she saw that he hadn't and hurriedly slipped out of the window, closing it behind her as she squatted on the roof. Gravel crunched under her feet as she hurried to the edge of the roof. Looking down over the edge she frowned at the two-story drop to the ground. There had to be a better way.  
  
Hurrying to the other side she smiled at the sight of a delivery truck waiting just a few feet away from the building. Spotting a drainpipe she took hold of it and hung on for dear life, releasing her grip in little spurts to slide down the pipe until it was safe to let go and fall to the ground. As her feet hit the ground Amanda almost cried out in pain, her ankle giving out beneath her and she crumpled to the ground.  
  
The truck engine sputtered to life and she forced herself to get up, hobbling toward the back end of the truck she pulled herself up and in, pulling a tarp over her as they neared the gate. Amanda could hear the guards let the driver through and she breathed a small sigh of relief.  
  
She was out.  
  
SMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMK  
  
Entering his office Renetti moved toward his desk and sat down. Taking a moment to light his cigar he turned on the monitor to watch his order being carried out. His eyes were glued to the screen, lit match burning down to his fingertips without his realizing it.  
  
She was gone.  
  
Fury boiled up within him. Even in a coma she had thwarted his plans. Furious he sounded the alarm, bells ringing throughout the complex. When the door to his office opened he looked up at the man who had entered with a deadly glare.  
  
"Find her and kill her or I'll kill you myself."  
  
SMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMK  
  
Lying in the back of the truck she could feel it start to slow down. Sitting up she looked around and saw that they had entered a city. Deciding to take a chance Amanda hurried out of the truck when it was stopped at a stop sign, moving as fast as she could to get out of sight. Waiting until the truck was gone she looked around to try and figure out where she was. Nothing looked familiar; the signs were in a language she couldn't read even though it did look slightly familiar to her. She assumed she was somewhere in Europe and Amanda wondered how she was going to be able to get in contact with anyone.  
  
The American Embassy was out. For all she knew her kidnapper would have that place staked out, if not going so far as to have a man on the inside. Amanda had a good idea who her kidnapper was and if she was right she couldn't even call the agency. Suddenly she realized whom she could call. It was the only hope she had to get a message to Lee. Leaving the darkness of the alleyway she hobbled as quickly as she could to the nearest phone, punching in the numbers she knew by heart.  
  
SMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMK  
  
Scarecrow.  
  
He had to get to Scarecrow.  
  
Running through the halls Winter apologized as he brushed past or through the people, not stopping to hear if they were okay with it or not. Running into the bullpen and headed straight for Lee's office, throwing the door open only to stop in confusion at the empty office. Turning on his heel he scanned the large room and caught sight of the man sitting in a conference room across the pen. Running to it he opened the door without bothering to knock.  
  
"What the...!" several of the occupants cried.  
  
Winter ignored them, looking right at Lee.  
  
"We've got her!" he announced breathlessly, a smile filling his face. "Queen just got a message to me. BR called the safety line, she's out and she's injured but she's okay for now. She needs a pickup."  
  
"Where is she?" Lee cried, jumping to his feet.  
  
"We traced the call to a small city near the border of Italy."  
  
Calling out orders Lee gathered a team together, putting himself in charge. As they drove do the airport, a plane already being gassed up, Lee dialed the number for the safehouse. When Jaime picked up he could hear the hope in the boys voice. "We're on our way to Italy to bring her home," Lee said.  
  
Jaime's cheer nearly deafened him and he heard Phillip echo it in the background. After a short scuffle Dotty came on the line. "Lee?" her voice filled with joy and tears. "Is it true? You've found her?"  
  
"We found her Dotty and she's awake." He heard her gasp. "That's all I've got, Dotty. As soon as I have more I'll call, I promise."  
  
"Bring her home to us, Lee. Bring my baby home."  
  
Promising he would Lee hung up the phone as the car careened into the airport. The team hurried out of the car and into the plane, the pilot already knowing exactly where he was going. After the tea had settled down, orders given out to everybody of what they were to do, Lee settled back into his seat and turned to face Winter.  
  
"Tell me everything."  
  
"We have a safety line that goes straight to Queen. BR called it and told us that she was okay and needed a pickup."  
  
"What did she call herself?"  
  
"Black Rose."  
  
Nodding Lee turned to face the window, the fact that she'd called herself Black Rose echoing in his mind.  
  
She still didn't remember him.  
  
SMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMK  
  
Huddled down in the corner of a dark alley she was still waiting, trying desperately to ignore the rats that were running around the garbage can a few feet away. Shaking with cold and exhaustion she hugged her arms tighter around herself, fighting the tears that filled her eyes. It had been so many hours since she had called the safety line, surely they were going to be here soon. Doubt began to creep into her heart despite her efforts to keep it out. Dropping her head onto her arms she allowed her thoughts to drift to a far better place.  
  
'You have a cute nose.'  
  
Smiling she laughed a teary laugh and looked up to see Lee standing before her, his tuxedo taking her breath away for a moment. "I miss you so much!"  
  
'I know,' he soothed her. 'I'm almost there, Manda, just hang on okay?'  
  
"I'll try," she nodded, blinking away her tears. When she opened her eyes again he was gone but she smiled anyway and the cold didn't seem so bad anymore. Leaning her head back against the brick wall she was almost asleep, the star-studded velvet above lulling her to sleep, when she heard it.  
  
Voices.  
  
English.  
  
"Lee?" she whispered.  
  
Getting to her feet Amanda hurried out to the end of the alley, praying it was Lee. When she saw the men she froze in her tracks for a split second before backing back into the alley. Had they seen her? Backing away she scanned for a way out, seeing a open doorway a few feet away she took the chance and entered it. The building was pitch black and as she went farther in she stumbled over a table, the racket calling the attention of the men that were out there hunting for her. Muttering under her breath she gave up on stealth and ran for the nearest window.  
  
Out the window and onto the street she ran with everything she had in her, ignoring the pain that was shooting up her ankle and into her knee as she fled for her life. Behind her she could hear them chasing, hear their yells as they called out orders to the men with them. Turning and turning again, trying to get away, Amanda soon discovered she was quite lost. Knowing better than to stop she kept running, her chest heaving with exertion, her entire leg numb with pain.  
  
Passing an intersecting street she didn't see the car that was stopped at a stop sign or the blond woman that was behind the wheel. Amanda never head the yells for her to come to them, her mind too focused on getting away. Turning again she headed down a single lane street, knowing that at the other end she would find freedom, an entire forest of trees that she could see clear from the other end of the street. Urging herself to keep going her heart fell to the ground when a black sedan pulled up at the other end, blocking her only exit.  
  
"Stop!" she heard yelled from behind her.  
  
"No!" she cried, realizing she was trapped. Standing still in the middle of the lane, her hope of escape dashed to pieces, her tears finally escaped. "Lee," she whispered. "Help me!"  
  
Suddenly another car squealed to a stop behind the men that had been chasing her and three men jumped out. "Federal Agents, hold it right there!"  
  
Knowing they had to kill her or their boss would kill them the men opened fire, trying to shoot Amanda before they were taken prisoner or got shot themselves.  
  
"Amanda get down!"  
  
Whipping her head around Amanda stared at the man running towards her. A sob tore loose from her throat and instead of ducking as she'd been ordered Amanda ran with every last bit of strength she could pull from her exhausted muscles. Ignoring everything around her, ignoring the bullets that were being shot back and forth, ignoring the pain the filled every inch of her body, ignoring the threat to her very safety, she ran. Tears blurred her vision but she could still see him as clearly as she could the moonlight from the heaven above.  
  
"Lee!" she yelled as she neared him.  
  
Throwing herself into his arms she wrapped her own around him, burying her face in his chest as her tears feel in a torrent, the ordeal finally over.  
  
She was safe.  
  
She was home.  
  
SMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMK 


	10. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine  
  
Lying down on the bench seat of the plane as it flew over the Atlantic Ocean Amanda was sound asleep, unaware of the scrutiny of the man whose lap she was using as a pillow.  
  
Lee watched her sleep and it took all he had in him not to let the tears in his eyes flow freely. Closing his eyes for a moment he could still see her, the fear and the pain in her eyes as she had stood between the good guys and the bad guys. His heart had frozen when they had begun to fire at her and he could hear himself yelling at her to get down. Lee had been shocked when she hadn't gotten down but had instead turned and run towards them.  
  
Then the moment he'd dreamed of for the last three years had finally happened.  
  
Amanda was in his arms.  
  
Reaching down with a free hand he brush an imaginary lock of hair away from her face, any excuse to touch her, to remind himself that she was really here, safe and sound, and on her way home. Lee couldn't convince himself that it was okay to fall asleep, too scared that he would wake up and discover it had all been a dream, that she was still dead and he was still talking to her, to himself. But exhaustion pulled him away from consciousness and soon his head was tilted to the side, asleep.  
  
Sitting across the way Francine watched them silently. Three years. It had been three long hard years since that warehouse fire. Now, seeing them together again, Francine wondered if Amanda would choose to come back to the agency, she wondered if Lee would let her, or if she would stay with the civilian group. Or, as foreign as the thought had once been to her she was shocked that she thought of it now, would Amanda choose to simply stay at home with her mother and her sons? Would she choose to return to the life of a housewife?  
  
Shaking her head she looked back down at the paperwork in her hands, finishing the report while the information was fresh in her mind.  
  
SMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMK  
  
When the announcement was made that the plane would be landing at Dulles Lee woke, amazed that he had slept the whole way back. Glancing briefly up to Francine he saw that she was gathering her things to disembark. Lowering his gaze to Amanda Lee smiled when he saw that she was still sleeping. The poor woman was exhausted and as much as he hated to wake her up he knew he had to.  
  
"Manda," he called, softly. "Amanda, wake up sweetheart."  
  
"Hmmm, Lee," she moaned in her sleep. Slowly her eyes flickered open and she blinked at the sudden brightness of the lights overhead. Seeing him watching her intently she smiled, a tear springing into her eye as she reached up to gently stroke his face. "Hey there big fella," she whispered.  
  
"Hey yourself," he smiled back, neither of them aware that they had caught the attention of everyone on the plane. "It's time to wake up, we're almost home."  
  
"Home," she breathed. "Home is good."  
  
Helping her to sit up Lee gathered his jacket that had fallen to the floor while they slept and wrapped it around her shoulders again. When the plane landed he lifted her up into his arms and carried her out to the waiting wheelchair so she wouldn't have to use her injured leg anymore than she already had. Down the ramp to the waiting car Lee wouldn't let anyone else near her, keeping Amanda by his side and tucked away in safety.  
  
As the car pulled away she looked up at him. "Lee, I want to see my family."  
  
"I'll have them brought to the hospital, Amanda. You need to see a doctor."  
  
"But..."  
  
"No arguing," he said firmly. "You were in a coma, you've got scrapes and bruises and who knows what else all over you, and you hurt your leg. Doctor first."  
  
"Yes, Sir," she smiled softly, relaxing into his side again. After a moment of silence he heard her whisper. "I love you, Lee."  
  
His throat constricted and Lee closed his eyes against the burning sensation that filled them. "I love you too."  
  
Hugging her tighter to his side Lee leaned his head down and rested it on the top of her head, silent as they rode to the hospital. Forced to leave her side while the doctor's examined her Lee had resigned himself to pacing the hallway. When he had completed his thirty-eighth lap he heard Dotty's voice from around the corner. Seconds later he was surrounded, Phillip and Dotty tossing questions at him like a juggler juggling pins.  
  
Off to the side, listening but keeping silent, Jaime saw the door open and the doctor come out unnoticed. Seeing the young man watching her the doctor smiled and nodded her head, motioning for him to go on in. Smiling at her in thanks Jaime slipped into the room and saw his mother lying on the bed with her eyes closed. The shutting door made a small noise and she stirred, opening her eyes. Jaime watched, waiting for some sign of recognition before he approached.  
  
"Jaime," she smiled, a tear falling from her eyes. Sitting up she swung her legs off the side of the bed and held her arms out to him. "Come here, Sweetheart."  
  
"Mom," he choked out, moving into her embrace. Tears fell from his eyes as he hugged her tightly. "Mom," he sobbed, unable to repress the pain and joy that had been building during the last few weeks.  
  
Holding her son tightly Amanda heard the door open and looked up to see the rest of her family gathered in the door. Reaching out with one of her arms she smiled wetly at Phillip and the young man joined his brother in her arms, tears falling from every eye in the room. After some time, unable to stay away any longer, Dotty moved forward and placed a gentle hand on her daughter hair.  
  
"Mother," Amanda whispered, locking eyes with the older woman.  
  
Hearing her Jaime and Phillip backed away so Dotty could take their place. While mother and daughter held each other Lee reached out and put an arm around each of the boys. The family was finally together. They were finally a real and true family.  
  
SMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMK  
  
Sitting in her chair, a small throbbing pain beginning in her ankle again, Amanda faced Billy. Lee, being too close to the situation, had been forced wait in his office while Billy debriefed his wife. Knowing it would be the only way to let them get through the debriefing without interruption Billy had agreed to let the conversation be monitored while it was recorded, Lee listening in while he sat in his office. Francine had insisted on sitting in on it as well and the pair of old friends sat in the office listening as the door opened.  
  
Billy took a moment to hug Amanda when they met in the debriefing room, wanting to let her know that he had missed her just as much, if not more, than the rest of their co-workers. After they had sat down, a glass of water before each other, Amanda began her story.  
  
"I'm really not sure where to begin, Sir," she said, eyeing the tape recorder. "I suppose I should begin where Lee probably left off. After he left the warehouse I was left alone with the bomb squad to make sure everything went okay. Only after Lee was gone one of the men suddenly stood up and pointed a gun at me. I couldn't see his face, his mask was in the way, but he started telling the others to get busy and do the job. One of the men put a pair of handcuffs on me and led me out of the building but I could see them dragging bodies toward the bomb. Whoever those people were they were already dead."  
  
"They put a hood over my head and led me out to a vehicle, I'm pretty sure it was a van since I heard a door slide open. I don't really remember anything after that, I'm assuming they drugged me or something because the next thing I remember was waking up tied to a chair. The room was pitch black; I couldn't see anything. I sat there for a long time before I could hear some noises coming from somewhere outside the room."  
  
Pausing she took a deep breath to steady herself and Lee knew something bad had happened to her at that point in history.  
  
"I still didn't see anything, the darkness never went away, but suddenly I knew I wasn't alone in the room. There was someone else in there with me. There was no warning, he just... started..."  
  
Amanda stopped again, surprised at the emotion that was roiling to the surface. It almost made her wish for the good old days when she couldn't remember what they had done to her.  
  
"I'm sorry sir," she whispered thickly, her voice choked out by the emotion in it.  
  
"It's all right, Amanda. Take your time," Billy soothed, handing her a tissue.  
  
"He started hitting me," she continued in a soft voice. "There were no questions, no demands. I think he was probably trying to break me before he bothered to ask anything." Pausing for a moment she thought over what had happened next to make sure she had it right. "When he was done he left me alone for a long time. I don't know how long exactly but when he came back there was another person with him; they wanted to know what we knew about Renetti. For a long time they kept asking questions and hitting me when I didn't answer. I kept blacking out, the pain... it was pretty bad."  
  
Amanda paused again and Billy didn't press her to continue, wondering if it had been such a good idea to let Lee listen in.  
  
In the office, Amanda's words ringing in his ears, Lee stared at his son standing in the doorway to his office, the door handle still in his hand, photo's ready to be viewed in his other hand. His eyes were wide; the words his mother had just said echoing in his mind like a bell tolling in the distance.  
  
"Jaime," Lee began, getting up to make him leave.  
  
"No."  
  
"No what?"  
  
"No, I'm not going to leave."  
  
"Jaime," Lee tried again. "You don't need to hear this."  
  
Looking at Lee, the son a hair taller than the father, Jaime met Lee's gaze with a fiery one of his own. "This is my mother, Lee. I need to know what that bastard did to her."  
  
Seeing Amanda's stubborn insistence in his eyes Lee relented, much to the shock of Francine, and motioned for him to have a seat. Jaime sat behind Lee's desk as Lee shut the door again, this time locking it before he reclaimed his seat on the couch. Reaching out he squeezed Jaime's shoulder for a moment before turning his attention back to Amanda's voice.  
  
"... after a while. I don't know how long it lasted but when I came to I was alone. I managed to work on the ropes that tied me to the chair, it was difficult, not as easy since I hadn't had a chance to flex my arms while they were tying me up, I was unconscious after all."  
  
Billy couldn't stop the small grin that tugged at his mouth. There was the 'Amanda-ramble' they all knew and loved.  
  
"Well when I finally got my hands free I untied my feet and stood up. It was difficult but I managed to walk forward until I hit the wall. I followed the wall all around the room until I found the doorway; it was a pretty small room. There was a large curtain in front of it to block the light. I listened for a while to see if I could hear anything. When I didn't hear anything I tried to open the door. The hallway was empty and I moved as quickly as I could toward the end of the hallway."  
  
Pausing for a moment she frowned. "Come to think of it the hallway was the same one that I was just in. It was the same complex. I even escaped the same way. Out the window onto a roof and then down the drainpipe into the back of a truck. Only the first time the truck was in an accident. That was how I ended up in the hospital. They assumed that all the injuries were from the accident and when I woke up without a memory I had nothing else to go by except what they told me."  
  
"What happened after you left the hospital?" Billy asked.  
  
"I found a job in Italy working for an old man as a secretary but I didn't speak the language so that didn't last too long. Italy just didn't feel right anyway so I went to England. It was a little better but still it just wasn't right. That was when I ended up in France. It wasn't right either but I was sick of traveling by then. I settled down long enough to learn the language and get a job. After a while I ended up leaving with Winter and the others and came here to America. Queen offered me a job as one of her agents and I took it. It felt right. I didn't know why but it did. I was good at it too. I seemed to pick up the skills naturally, no one knew why but Queen was pleased nonetheless."  
  
Nodding his head Billy spoke. "Winter has filled us in on the rest. Queen authorized him to give us the files on your missions."  
  
"All of them?" Amanda asked, worry in her voice.  
  
"I believe so, yes."  
  
"Has Lee seen them, Sir?"  
  
"I don't think he's had the chance. We got the files just after he left for Italy. Is there something wrong with him seeing them?"  
  
Amanda was quiet and Lee wondered what mission it was that she was worried about. No, he hadn't had a chance to see the files yet; they were on his desk, waiting.  
  
"There was one, about a year into my new life. I'm not too proud of that mission Sir, I wasn't back then but especially now that I remember everything."  
  
"What happened Amanda?" he asked, unable to recall which mission she was talking about.  
  
Amanda's face was flushed and she studied her nails as she answered him. "It was a peacock dance, Sir."  
  
Lee closed his eyes, his heart suddenly heavy. A Peacock Dance. Against his will his imagination began to picture how far she'd had to go, what she'd had to do. His mind argued with his heart. 'She didn't remember anything, it was just a mission, I've done hundreds of them myself,' his head argued. 'But she slept with another man,' his heart replied in pain.  
  
"How far did you have to go?" Billy asked. He suddenly remembered that Lee was listening in and wished he could retract that question, hoping Lee would be able to control himself, or if he couldn't, 'At least let Francine calm him down enough to not cause Amanda any more pain,' he prayed silently.  
  
"Not all the way, but far enough to feel ashamed and dirty," she whispered.  
  
Lee slumped back into his seat, relief coursing through him. Right behind it swept a strong desire to comfort Amanda and it took all he had in him to not get up from his seat.  
  
"Lee, what's a peacock dance?"  
  
Frozen in his tracks he scrambled for something to tell Jaime. He refused to tell him what his mother had done, no child ever needed to know that, but he didn't want to lie to him either. Thankfully Francine saved him the trouble.  
  
"It's a term used when an agent has to pretend to be dating a person they are covering for a mission."  
  
Jaime nodded. "Oh."  
  
In the small room Billy took Amanda's hands in his. "It's okay, Amanda. You didn't do anything wrong. This nightmare is over and it's time to put it behind you. You're home, you're safe, and there is nothing else you need to worry about."  
  
'_She will tell you nothing,' another man said, his voice coming from the shadows. With a quick flash of a lit match to light his cigar his face appeared in the low light and she could see his face. 'If she knows anything she wouldn't tell us anyway.'  
  
Lifting her head enough to view his face her eyes widened in shock at the man who stood before her.  
  
'Kill her._'  
  
With a small cry of pain Amanda put her head in her hands. "Oh my gosh!"  
  
"Amanda?" Billy asked, worriedly. "What's wrong?"  
  
After a moment, rubbing her temples to try and ward off the headache, she looked up at Billy. "I know who he is."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Renetti!"  
  
SMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMK 


	11. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten  
  
Billy stared at her. "You know who Renetti is?"  
  
She nodded painfully. "Yes sir. He was present during the interrogation."  
  
"But you said it was dark and you couldn't see anything."  
  
"I couldn't but just before he gave the order to kill me he lit a match to light his cigar. The light was dim but I would know his face anywhere. It's not one of those faces you can easily forget. Especially when you take into account all the times he made life really difficult for Lee and I. I mean I don't like to hate anyone, you know that sir, but I had almost let myself hate this man on so many occasions! And now that I remember that he's the one who was trying to kill me I don't think that I can..."  
  
"Amanda!" Billy cried at last. "Enough, please. Just tell me who he is."  
  
"Sorry sir, I know I tend to ramble. Well, I know it now anyway."  
  
Billy smiled encouragingly. "Amanda, who is Renetti?"  
  
"Sorry, sir," she apologized again. "It's Dr Smythe."  
  
"What the hell?" Lee yelled as he jumped up from his seat. Francine and Jaime both jumped in their skin at the sudden outburst. Reaching for the phone he dialed a few numbers and ordered the surveillance on Austin Smythe pulled for the last four years. "He is going to pay for this," Lee ground out through his clenched teeth.  
  
Wide-eyed Jaime looked at Francine and saw that she was just as mad as Lee was; though she was a bit calmer. "Who is Dr Smythe?"  
  
"That bastard!" Lee yelled again. "Move, son!"  
  
Jaime jumped up out of the seat and moved out from behind the desk as quickly as he could. He'd seen Lee mad before but never like this. He hadn't even been this mad when Phillip had scratched up and dented the corvette when he'd gotten in an accident. Looking at Francine he asked, "What's going on, Ms Desmond?"  
  
"Smythe is a man who has put Lee and Amanda through living hell for his own kicks." Her voice was filled with venom and Jaime suddenly understood how his 'Aunt Francine' had such a good record in the interrogation room. "Lee, I'm going to go speed up those records," she announced as she stood.  
  
Lee only grunted an acknowledgement as she left the office. Unsure of what to do Jaime sat down on the couch, silently listening to Billy confirm the details with his mother.  
  
SMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMK  
  
The small group was gathered in the conference room, half-empty coffee cups scattered among the empty sandwich wrappers and file folders. For the last five hours they had scoured over the files, searching for any little tidbit of proof that they could use to bring Smythe in for questioning. Frustrated and tired Billy announced that they would take a half-hour break before regrouping to start again. One by one they left the office until it was only Amanda sitting there. Peering in through the doorway Jaime watched as she stared at a picture of the man that had taken her.  
  
"Mom?" Glancing up she smiled and motioned for him to come in. Taking a seat next to her Jaime looked at the picture she was holding. "Is that him? Dr Smythe?" Amanda nodded. "We'll get him, you'll see."  
  
She smiled. "He's a slippery man, sweetheart. He always manages to keep his head above water."  
  
"Lee won't let him," Jaime said firmly. "Not this time."  
  
Amanda turned and looked at her son closely. He'd changed. Yes, he'd grown up into a handsome young man, but there was something else. Jaime had always been guarded, hiding part of himself from the rest of the world. It was one of the reason she had fought so hard for him to like and trust Lee. They were so alike in that aspect, each one keeping a part of himself hidden from the rest of the world. When Lee had finally let that part out he had flourished and Amanda had hoped he might help Jaime to do the same.  
  
"Tell me something, Sweetheart," she said after a moment. "Why did you join the agency?"  
  
"Because of you."  
  
"Because I'd been killed?"  
  
Jaime shook his head. "No, because I remembered how happy you were after you started working for them. You were doing something important and it made you happy. I wanted to feel that way too. Of course I didn't know how well I was going to learn how to keep secrets and tell half truths."  
  
"To your grandmother," Amanda nodded.  
  
"And Phillip too. We had gotten close after you were gone," he explained. "It was hard on him, I think. He could tell I was keeping something from him and he didn't like it. He never said anything but I don't think that he's very happy about it."  
  
"It's hard," she replied. "I never like lying to mother or you boys."  
  
"I know how you feel. I don't care for it either."  
  
Standing in the doorway Lee watched mother and son for a moment before clearing his throat. "Jaime, why don't you go grab a bite to eat?" he suggested.  
  
Looking up Jaime smiled and, squeezing Amanda's hand for a moment, he stood and left to do as he'd been told. Stopping him for a moment Lee squeezed his son's shoulders, an encouraging smile before he let the young man pass. When they were alone Lee took the seat Jaime had occupied and took Amanda's hand in his own, bringing it to his lips gently.  
  
"He's so grown up," she said softly to him, her eyes moist.  
  
"Yes," Lee agreed. "Jaime's quite a young man. He reminds me an awful lot of his mother."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Mhmm. Always seems to have the knack of getting in and out of trouble. Never lets anybody see how scared he is until it's all over. And somehow he seems to have the same knack for picking up the spy business that his mother does."  
  
"It runs in the family," she smiled. Her heart was warmed with the knowledge that her son had found a place in the world. She was afraid for him, the 'spy business' was a dangerous place as she knew only too well, but she was still glad that he had found something that he was passionate about.  
  
Lee smiled at her. She couldn't hide her emotions from him and he knew she was both happy and afraid. "He's good, Amanda," he assured her. "Really good. Beaman's fit to be tied." At that she laughed and Lee grinned. Mission accomplished. "What say we get out of here, get some fresh air?"  
  
Nodding she let him lead her out of the conference room and up to the main floor. Handing their badges to Mrs. Martsen they opened the front door and stepped out into the world. Hand in hand they walked down the lamp lit street silent as they took the time needed to clear their heads.  
  
"You know what I remember?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"The first time we did this. Walked down the street during a really hard case."  
  
Lee smiled. "I remember. You were about ready to scream at me for pacing the room."  
  
"The pacing wasn't so bad. It was the way you would kick whatever you were passing. It was go for a walk or lock you in the vault."  
  
Laughing she raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. "Then I am very glad you chose the walk."  
  
Amanda smiled. "Me too."  
  
"You know what I remember?"  
  
"What?"  
  
Lee stopped and pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her and holding her tight. "I remember how much I love you. Your nose, your laugh, the way you get really quiet just before you come up with some brilliant plan that is going to solve the case. I remember the way your rambling makes me feel safe, because I knew that you're okay. Nervous, probably a little scared, but okay enough to ramble. When you stopped rambling, that was when I got scared. I remember..."  
  
"Lee," Amanda said softly, stopping him before he could say anything else. "It's been three years. Do you think you might just stop talking and kiss me?"  
  
"I think I remember how to do that," he smiled.  
  
SMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMK  
  
They were sitting around the table again, files open, eyes scanning for pertinent information. Sighing Lee closed his eyes for a moment and tried to massage the tiredness out of them. Opening them again he looked at Amanda. Their kiss still tingled on his lips and Lee couldn't remember a single time when it had been sweeter or more emotional for him to kiss his wife. A smile tugged at his lips but fell away when he saw her cringe.  
  
"'Manda?" he whispered. "What's wrong?"  
  
Waving her hand in a motion he knew meant to wait Lee watched her carefully. Something was bothering her and he wondered what it was. Suddenly her eyes widened and she stood up from her chair. Without a word she left the conference room and sat down at the nearest computer terminal. Following her, concerned, Lee watched as she signed into the computer, making friends with it again.  
  
"Amanda?"  
  
"Where is he?" she asked, not bothering to face him.  
  
"What do you mean? Where's who?"  
  
"Smythe. Where is he right now?"  
  
"According to our information he's in Germany for the Summit. He's an unofficial observer of the convention."  
  
"So if he's not there it wouldn't raise any suspicion," she said. Scanning the information before her Amanda suddenly exclaimed, "There it is!"  
  
"Amanda what are you looking for?"  
  
"Look," she pointed to the screen. Lee bent over for a closer look. "Two days after he arrived in Germany an A. Smith boarded a flight for Italy. The plane landed that day after I was taken."  
  
"It's not enough."  
  
"Normally no, but look at these surveillance photo's taken from the airport in Italy."  
  
Several photos flashed up onto the screen. The captioning at the bottom was in Italian but the picture was as plain as Lee's disgust for this man. "Smythe."  
  
"There's no record that he ever left Italy, Lee. For all we know he's still at that compound."  
  
"Can you remember how to get there?"  
  
Amanda nodded. "Yes."  
  
Turning Lee looked into the doorway on the conference room and saw Billy approaching. "We've got him, Billy. We've got that sick son of a bitch."  
  
"Then lets go get him."  
  
SMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMK  
  
Sitting in the car as it drove down the highway Francine wondered how this could possibly work. Glancing into the back seat she resisted the impulse to laugh at the sight of Amanda lying down staring out the window at the trees passing over head. It was the only way she knew to get a feel for where they were, both time she had escaped it was the only view she'd had. Amanda would call out what to look for and Lee would keep an eye out for it, telling the driver when and where to turn.  
  
So far they'd only made one turn.  
  
Personally she thought it was a wild goose chase, but at the moment it was all they had to go on. Turning to face front again she grabbed the drivers arm for a moment and ordered him to pull off the road. "There," she said, pointing to a building a little ways away. "There's a guard on the roof over there, that's got to be it."  
  
Sitting up Amanda looked to where Francine was pointing. Reaching for the binoculars she took a closer look at the guard. A chill snaked down her back when she saw his face. "That's one of them. He was one of the guards."  
  
Picking up his two-way radio Lee called out the command to surround the building, their Italian friends helping with manpower. When the signal was given the complex was surrounded and everyone moved in. Refusing to stay behind Amanda went with Lee as the teams invaded the complex. She could hear the gunfire and soon an all clear was announced over the radio.  
  
"This way," she said, pulling Lee down one of the hallways. Opening one of the doors they saw a blackout curtain hanging in front of them. Finding a light switch Lee flipped it on and then moved the curtain out of the way. Before them they saw a gurney, and IV stand standing next to it. "This was where they held me," Amanda realized.  
  
Looking around she saw a camera, the red light blinking to warn that it was in use. Pointing it out to Lee she flinched when he shot it with his gun, the sound of the bullet and the shattering echoing in the room. Leaving the room they walked down several more hallways before Amanda suddenly stopped. Sniffing the air she recognized the scent of cigar smoke. "Lee," she whispered. "He's still here."  
  
Following the scent as it got stronger Lee opened a door at the end of the hallway and the saw an ornate office on the other side. A large wooden desk sat directly in front of them, monitors lining the wall to the left of the desk. Behind the desk was a large leather chair, its back to them. In the ashtray near the corner of the desk, sat a still smoldering cigar, the room filled with the pungent aroma of the smoke.  
  
"Smythe," Lee called out. "Turn around and face us, you bastard."  
  
"Sigh... ladies... men... blithe..."  
  
Lee's attention was caught by the sound of Amanda's pain filled voice to his left. Looking at the monitors he saw her, nearly naked and tied to a chair, her face bloody and beaten, bruises and contusions all over her body. His stomach turned at the sight and Lee felt as though he was going to throw up. Next to him Amanda closed her eyes, her own memories of that event too much to handle without seeing them played out all over again. Stepping away from Lee she moved toward the chair, turning it around to make Smythe face them and answer why he had done this to her. Reaching out she stopped still at the sight that waited for her, gasping at the horror of it.  
  
"Lee," she called out, her voice trembling.  
  
Her voice pulled his attention away from the screen and Lee hurried to her side. Stopping still at the sight of Dr Smythe, a gun in his limp hands and blood pouring from his temple. Pulling Amanda away from it he held her, her face pressed against his chest. Lee stared at the sight of the dead man sitting in the chair, his only thought was that he had gotten off too easily for what he had done.  
  
SMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMK  
  
Sitting in the car, sipping at the coffee someone had handed to her, Amanda numbly watched the men and women as the worked to bring everything back into order. Lee, standing a little ways away, was handing out some orders to the younger agents. She watched as Billy came up to him, a folder in his hands, and handed it to Lee. With a frown he opened the folder and looked at its contents, his face growing darker with every passing second. Wondering what was in the folder she didn't have to wonder for long, Lee turning towards her.  
  
"Six years," he said, his tone iced over with anger. "For six years he's been operating as Renetti. When we were getting to close he staged the bomb to separate us and get us off the case. He ordered them to grab you to make sure I was distracted from the case."  
  
Amanda closed her eyes. "Why didn't they find me when I escaped the first time?" she asked.  
  
"They did. You had amnesia and the US government had already listed you as dead. He didn't consider you a threat to his operation anymore."  
  
Taking a deep breath to steady herself Amanda opened her eyes and looked up at her husband. "Is it finally over?"  
  
Kneeling down before her Lee took her hands in his and waited for her to meet his eyes. "It's over, Amanda. It's really over."  
  
SMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMKSMK 


	12. Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven  
  
Suds up to her elbows Amanda stood at the kitchen sink washing the dishes from breakfast and watching a pair of squirrels gathering seed from under the birdfeeder in the yard. Suddenly a face appeared in her window and she jumped, startled. Smiling she saw her husband grinning back at her, motioning for her to join him outside. Nostalgia filled her as she removed her hands from the water, drying them on a towel as she headed towards the back door.  
  
"What are you doing here?" she whispered. "You're supposed to be in meetings all day long."  
  
"I decided to come home for lunch," he smiled at her, kissing her smiling mouth. "Besides, my next meeting was cancelled so I have a little bit of free time."  
  
"Billy taught you his trick didn't he?" she accused as they sat down on the swing near the fence.  
  
"How did you know about that?"  
  
"Jeannie told me."  
  
Lee grinned. "Well I'm just glad it works. I feel like I haven't seen you in days."  
  
"Try hours," she smiled, leaning her head on his shoulder.  
  
"Well it still feels like days." He smiled at the memory of waking her up this morning so they could spend some quiet time together before he had to leave. "What have you been up to?"  
  
"Nothing much," she shrugged. "I took mother to the train station and spent the morning organizing the Blackman files for Queen."  
  
"Anything interesting happen at the train station?" Lee teased.  
  
"Nothing worth mentioning," she teased back. "Although there was this waiter..."  
  
Lee groaned and leaned over to kiss Amanda. "What is it with you and waiters?"  
  
Amanda smiled but said nothing. Taking his hand in hers they sat in silence for a moment.  
  
"How goes the work for Queen?" he asked her, wondering if she was almost done or not.  
  
"It's all set. I finished the last file this morning. If you could let Winter know to bring some more I would appreciate it."  
  
"I'll bring those back with me today for him to take back," he nodded.  
  
Silence fell over them again and they swung in peace. Lee was glad that Amanda had found a medium in the many lives she was trying to combine as a civilian agent, government agent, mother and wife. As the liaison between the agency and Queen Amanda was able to keep her ties with both companies while most of her time was spent at home with her family. After the life she'd led, and the life she'd missed, Amanda had decided she was more than ready to focus on the one thing that mattered to her more than anything else in the world.  
  
"Hey Lee," Phillip said as he opened the back door. "When did you get here?" he asked, holding the door open so Jaime could come out.  
  
"A few minutes ago, sport."  
  
Lee watched as his kids walked toward them. Reaching out he took the youngest son from his older brothers' arms. "And when did you wake up, munchkin?"  
  
"I heard him waking up when we got home from the midterms so I figured I'd pick him up," Jaime answered as he sat on the ground by Amanda's feet.  
  
"Thank you, Sweetheart," she smiled at him, touching his shoulder briefly.  
  
"Hey, since Lee's here can we grill some burgers for lunch?" Phillip asked, looking from Lee to Amanda and back.  
  
"Sure, why not," Lee answered. "Phillip, you go fire up the grill and Jaime, you go find the burgers."  
  
Both boys left, their teenage stomachs telling them the faster they moved the faster they could eat. Handing Jacob to his mother Lee kissed both of them before moving off to help Phillip get the grill ready. Content to sit on the swing and hold her three-month-old son Amanda swung back and forth, watching the three of the most important men in her life get lunch ready.  
  
"Life in this family is like a really fast roller coaster, sweetie," she whispered to Jacob. Reaching down she kissed his forehead. "Sometimes it's up and sometimes its down, but it always keeps you coming back for more."  
  
Smiling at her in reply Jacob grinned with a look Amanda knew all too well. He was, after all, his parent's son.  
  
The End 


End file.
